KARACHI, Dec 13: The Federal Investigation Agency on Monday arrested a deputy additional director and two other employees of the passport office for their alleged involvement in the issuance of passports to foreign nationals and locals with the connivance of an agent.

FIA officials said that the arrests took place after an agent, Ahmed Husain alias Shah Jee, was held outside the passport office in the morning. They said the agent was being watched by the FIA for his activities for some time.

The officials said that two original computerised national identity cards, 11 photocopies of the CNICs, one Afghan card of the national alien registration authority, six challan forms, two passport tokens, and one token of the national database registration authority were seized from the agent’s possession.

During interrogation, he divulged that he was working with the connivance of several officials of the passport office, the officials said.

Following his disclosure, the FIA arrested Deputy Additional Director Rao Akhtar, Data Entry Operator Syed Qamar Husain Kazim and Peon Ibrahim. However, Deputy Additional Director Saeed Abbasi could not be arrested because he was on leave, they added.

According to FIA Additional Director (Anti-Human Trafficking Circle) Asif Ajaz, efforts were being made to arrest the remaining suspects.

An FIR (304/2010) under Section 6 of the Passport Act read with Sections 52 and 11 of the Anti-Corruption Act of 1947 has been registered at the FIA circle in connection with the arrests.