GUJRAT: The Federal Investigation Agency Gujranwala Zone claims to have arrested two suspects allegedly involved in illegal transactions of foreign currencies through hundi/hawala during a crackdown.

A senior official said the action had been taken in compliance with the directions of FIA Director Abdul Qadir Qamar whereas the additional director had supervised the raid.

He said a FIA team, comprising Station House Officer Rana Asif Nadeem, head constables Mehboob Shahzad, Muhammad Bilal, Umar Javed, Zeeshan Ali and foot constable Arslan Sunny carried out the raid and apprehended two individuals involved in hundi/ hawala activities.

The arrested suspects include Muhammad Imran Butt of Lahore and Wajid Ali Shah of Gujranwala. During the raid, he said incriminating materials were recovered from the possession of the suspects such as hundi/hawala amount worth Rs1,900,000, 66 receipts, four bank account receipts and mobile phones.

A first information report under sections 4,5,8 23(1) FERA 1947 has also been registered at FIA Composite Circle Gujranwala.

The official said investigation was underway and further efforts were being made to identify and apprehend additional accomplices involved in the network.

Meanwhile, the FIA immigration wing also detained a passenger for attempting to travel abroad but his name was found among the list of deported passengers.

An official source at the Sialkot airport said during immigration clearance of Flight G9-553 passenger Wasif Ali of Gujrat was departing to United Arab Emirates and he presented his passport UU1798304.

He said his particulars got hit in the IBMS with remarks PNIL/PCL NOTEPAD deported due to forged travel documents at Muscat international airport.

The passenger was later handed over to anti-human trafficking cell for further legal action.

It is learnt that the FIA director has constituted a special investigation team comprising three senior officials.

Assistant Director (Gujranwala circle) Shahid Majeed has been appointed as the head of the team with SHO Asif Nadeem and SI Usman Afzal two other members.

The committee has been assigned to collect the forensic and documentary evidence as well as connect the recovered evidence from the suspects and unearth the involvement of other agents.

The team will provide weekly progress report in the case to the director and the additional director will supervise it.

Published in Dawn, May 29th, 2025