5, April 2005	Tuesday	25 Safar 1426

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LAHORE, April 4: The Federal Investigation Agency has closed a number of inquiries and human smuggling cases against a consultant firm following a ‘deal’. As many as 12 inquiries and two cases registered in 2003-04 involving over Rs5.5 million against Future Concern Associates were closed in the tenure of former deputy director (passport cell) Tehseen Anwar Shah in November and December last. Mr Shah has now been sent back to his parent department (police).

Sources told Dawn on Monday that the FIA had evidence against the consultant firm to proceed against it but some of its officers saved it from legal action after a ‘deal’ with its owner.

The sources said the firm’s owner had also made a tape showing a front man of an FIA official taking money on his behalf. He gave this video to a senior FIA official when he was pressured for more money. They said some of FIA officials were still on its payroll.

Senior Advocate Ghulam Murtaza Chaudhry said that an inquiry could be closed against an accused firm only after it returned amount to complainant(s). He, however, said the FIA could not stop functioning of an accused firm(s) or travel agent(s) and could only blacklist them if complaints were continued to be received against them. He said the FIA was also not authorized to close cases on its own against an accused under immigration laws.

When contacted, FIA director (Lahore) Chaudhry Tanvir Ahmed said that inquiries were closed against the firm purely on merit. However, he denied that a certain official had taken money from the firm.

The Future Concerns claims itself to be an expert in immigration to Canada, USA, Australia, New Zealand and the UK and continues to advertize in print media. Some other firms booked by the FIA for human smuggling still advertize in newspapers to lure innocent people looking for greener pastures abroad.

Operating especially in major cities of the country, consultant firms usually take huge money from people, including students, for arranging their travel abroad instead of providing them with guidance and consultancy services against a few thousand rupees.

The FIA has no solid mechanism to identify firms involved in this heinous crime. Such firms are registered with the ministry of manpower and overseas employment and the FIA can only initiate action against them on complaints. The business of immigration consultant firms picked up during the last few years. Over four dozen centres are reportedly functioning in different parts of Lahore. However, it has not been ascertained how many of them are involved in “visa” business.

These firms, on the other hand, deny their role in human smuggling. They claim that they are mere consultants and send people abroad, especially Europe, by providing consultancy services.