RAWALPINDI: The Federal Investigation Agency’s Anti-Human Trafficking Circle (AHTC) on Monday arrested the alleged mastermind of the infamous ‘Times Immigration fraud case’, a scheme officials say defrauded thousands of citizens of approximately Rs250 million.

M. Jahanzaib, who operated under the alias Junaid Butt, was arrested in Lahore by the AHTC, following a sustained intelligence-based operation, an FIA spokesman said.

The suspect is accused of orchestrating one of the largest immigration scams in Islamabad’s history, which lured victims with promises of immigrant, student and family visas to go abroad.

The network operated from offices in Islamabad’s G-11 Markaz and Rawalpindi’s Giga Mall, as well as Lahore’s Liberty Market, with operational links to the United Arab Emirates.

During the investigation, FIA teams traced numerous bank accounts used by the Times Immigration Company, revealing complex financial trails.

Authorities suspect money laundering and other financial crimes were conducted through these accounts, some of which are linked to the former Fata region and are under further scrutiny.

The spokesman said the accused allegedly purchased multiple properties from the proceeds of the crime in the name of his first wife, Mariyam, and second wife, Kaneez Fatima, a stage actress also known as Deedar Multani. A separate inquiry is also underway in Lahore against the accused.

Published in Dawn, March 17th, 2026