LAHORE: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has arrested three employees of a travel agency for allegedly looting Rs90 million from more than 150 intending Umrah pilgrims.

Faisal Tanvir told Dawn he had deposited over Rs1 million with the Global Route and Tours for the Umra travel of his 10 family members. He said the agency was charging Rs120,000 to 135,000 per person.

“The owner of the travel agency, Tahwar Abbas, told me to collect passports and tickets last week. When I visited him, the office was closed and his and other employees’ cells were switched off,” he said.

Some other affected people also gathered outside the office. “We approached the FIA and got registered a case against the agency employees,” he said.

FIA officials said the agency in question had lured the people into cheap Umrah packages. Raids to arrest the owner of the agency were underway.

Published in Dawn, July 10th, 2015

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