RAWALPINDI, Nov 10: Immigration authorities at Islamabad airport offloaded 31 Afghan pilgrims going for Umra on fake visas on Wednesday.

The authorities said the batch comprised 17 men and 14 women. The Afghans were taken into custody by the FIA and handed over to the passport cell.

According to the authorities, the Afghan pilgrims had paid Rs30,000 to Rs50,000 to their travel agents for visas.

Meanwhile, a gang of thieves, which struck at a house in Westridge, escaped after an encounter with the police and residents of the area.

Police said the encounter took place when the theft victim, Khaliq Dad, started chasing the accused.

The victim, in his FIR, said the thieves broke into his house where he had kept buffaloes. When the culprits were loading the cattle in a truck, Khaliq Dad arrived at the house and informed the police about the incident.

Though the police arrived in a short time and started chasing the culprits along with the victim in two different vehicles, still they failed to catch them.

The two groups also fired upon each other during the chase, however, nobody was reported injured.