Karachi Airport
KARACHI: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has arrested eight passengers at Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport for attempting to travel abroad using fake documents, conducting two separate operations on Tuesday.
In the first operation, the FIA detained five individuals who were trying to board flights to Saudi Arabia under the pretense of performing Umrah.
According to an FIA spokesperson, these passengers raised suspicion during the immigration clearance process. Preliminary investigations revealed that their true intention was not to perform religious duties but rather to beg in the Gulf country.
The second operation led to the arrest of three passengers attempting to travel to Azerbaijan on counterfeit documents, claiming they were going for a study visa. The agency’s scrutiny during the immigration procedure brought their suspicious documentation to light.
The spokesperson revealed that Asim, an agent from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, had facilitated the visas for these travelers intending to study in Azerbaijan. Upon arrival, they were supposed to receive their German visas, indicating a complex network of deceit involved in their travel plans.
Financial records showed that Salman and Nauman had each paid Asim Rs300,000, while another individual, Muhammad Hussain, had paid a whopping Rs800,000 for his arrangements.
Notably, Hussain is an employee of the Capital City Police in Peshawar. He was trying to travel on a private passport without obtaining a no-objection certificate (NOC) from his department, failing to disclose his employment status during the immigration process.
This crackdown comes in the wake of growing concerns expressed by several Gulf countries regarding the behavior of Pakistani expatriates and the labor force.
In July, during a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis, Secretary Overseas Pakistanis Dr. Arshad informed committee members about the reservations raised by the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Kuwait concerning various issues related to overseas Pakistanis.
Months earlier, in September 2023, the overseas ministry had alerted the committee that an alarming number of beggars were leaving Pakistan.
The report indicated that many Pakistanis were traveling to Iraq and Saudi Arabia under the guise of ziarat (pilgrimage), with the majority obtaining Umrah visas and then engaging in begging activities upon arrival.
The Secretary noted that an overwhelming 90% of those arrested for begging abroad were found to be Pakistanis, underscoring a troubling trend that has drawn the attention of authorities both domestically and internationally.
This situation highlights the urgent need for better regulation and oversight regarding the issuance of travel documents and the motivations behind many Pakistani citizens’ attempts to travel abroad.
