ISLAMABAD: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has developed an artificial intelligence-based system to track down criminals by visualising their appearance in real time, it emerged on Sunday.
Speaking to Dawn, FIA Director General Dr Usmar Anwar said that the agency’s red book, containing details of most wanted criminals, was being updated with features, employing AI-based tools to generate a set of fresh visuals of their appearance based on old photographs.
Even if the criminal has gone bald by now or sports a beard, the agency will now be able to track their identity. DG Anwar said under the new system, it would be “impossible” for criminals to hide their identity by changing physical appearance.
The other features of the modern red book to be available online to all FIA officers concerned — as well as the general public — also include details about family members and known associates of the accused; Computerised National Identity Card (CNIC), passport and cellular phone numbers; distinguishing marks, bank account details; information on first information reports (FIRs); and status of court cases against them.
Official ‘involved’ in issuing fake CNICs to Afghan nationals held in Karachi
The FIA chief said that the updated red book will also include the modus operandi and areas of operation of human smugglers, including the routes they use and their last known location.
A total of 143 human traffickers wanted in different cases registered in FIA’s Anti-Human Trafficking circles are listed in the red book, he added.
DG Anwar said the use of modern technology not only helps suppress crimes but also enhances transparency, efficiency, supervision, and data-driven decision-making.
“Through systematic digitisation of investigations, inspections, accountability, and human resources processes, FIA has moved toward institutionalising e-governance and modern law enforcement practices,” he remarked.
The FIA DG said an internal accountability mechanism involving digitised processes, including fact-finding inquiries and departmental proceedings, was already in place and will be further strengthened.
DG Anwar also shared that the Centralised Immigration Monitoring and Control Centre at FIA headquarters was being upgraded and relocated as well.
Responding to a question on capsizing incidents of migrant boats, he maintained that the FIA was taking strict measures to prevent such incidents.
In that regard, he stated that the legal framework had been strengthened and a crackdown against human smugglers continued. He added that FIA officials who were found negligent were reprimanded.
He also appealed to the youth desperate for jobs to seek legal pathways and avoid risking their lives.
Fake CNICs to Afghan nationals
The FIA said it has arrested an official of the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) for his alleged “involvement” in issuing fake identity cards to Afghan nationals in Karachi.
As per a statement by an FIA spokesperson, the agency’s officials conducted a raid in the Metroville SITE area, where two Afghan nationals were arrested and found to be possessing “illegal Pakistani identity documents”.
The statement added that upon further investigation, it surfaced that a Nadra official, identified as Furqan Ahmed Khan Durrani, was “involved” in approving CNICs issued to the two Afghan nationals.
Durrani was arrested in a subsequent raid carried out in Karachi’s Nursery area. The FIA statement said that action has been taken against the suspects under the Foreigners Act, 1946 and Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947. It added that FIA has obtained a three-day physical remand of the “arrested suspects” and further investigation was underway.
Published in Dawn, April 6th, 2026
