KARACHI: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Immigration at Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport took action on Tuesday, offloading two passengers attempting to travel abroad using counterfeit travel documents.
Following the offloading of the passengers, FIA officials also apprehended the agent and facilitator allegedly involved in providing the fake travel documents.
The individuals offloaded, identified as Abid Ali and Ishtiaq Ahmed, were intending to board a Canadian-bound flight, PK-783, after obtaining carefully forged visit visas.
Subsequent verification revealed that the Canadian visas on their passports were indeed counterfeit. Upon identification of the passengers, FIA authorities detained the agent, Nasir Khan, and the facilitator, Jan Muhammad, at the airport.
Investigations disclosed that Nasir Khan, the agent, had traveled from Islamabad to Karachi with the accused. Preliminary findings suggested that the fake visas were procured from the agent at a substantial cost of Rs 4 million per person.
The arrested individuals were later transferred to the Anti-Human Trafficking Circle Karachi for further legal proceedings.
This incident follows a recent case earlier this month when FIA immigration officers intercepted a couple at Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport attempting to travel abroad using fraudulent documents.
The couple, Talat Iqbal and his wife, were aiming to fly to Europe on flight number TK-709 using counterfeit UK employment visas. Preliminary investigations revealed that the couple acquired the visas from an agent in Lahore for a total of £2400.
The FIA spokesperson disclosed that the agent had dispersed the sum across various bank accounts to avoid drawing undue attention from authorities.
