ISLAMABAD – A shocking immigration fraud racket involving high-level government corruption has been busted at Islamabad International Airport, revealing deep-rooted systemic flaws in Pakistan’s bureaucracy.
Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) officials intercepted two individuals attempting to board a flight to France using forged documents. What started as a routine check unraveled a sophisticated network exploiting official positions for illegal migration.
According to analysis from a leading Pakistani business publication, the scam implicates a senior tax official from the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR). Allegations suggest this officer abused authority to secure fake French visit visas, masquerading the suspects as part of an official delegation.
The duo presented themselves as FBR employees attending European Parliament meetings, backed by fabricated email exchanges between a Gmail account and a seemingly official FBR address. However, scrutiny exposed the ruse: no employment verification, no travel authorization, and inconsistent itineraries pointing to asylum-seeking intentions in Europe.
Mobile phone records and financial trails paint an even grimmer picture. Frequent WhatsApp communications with a suspected middleman and transactions worth millions of rupees indicate a profit-driven syndicate, not isolated opportunism.
This incident underscores Pakistan’s chronic battle with visa misuse, damaging its global reputation and complicating legitimate travel for ordinary citizens. If proven, it signals catastrophic failures in internal oversight, allowing public servants to operate unchecked.
Experts warn that without robust reforms, such scandals will persist, eroding public trust and international credibility. The FIA’s ongoing probe could lead to high-profile arrests, but only systemic change will dismantle this dangerous alliance of fraud and graft.
