The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) said on Wednesday that four suspects, including officials of the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra), had been arrested in Karachi for their alleged involvement in making false documents for Afghan nationals.

In a press release, a spokesperson for the agency identified the suspects as Nadra Assistant Director Imamul Haq, Nadra Deputy Assistant Director Fayyaz Ahmed, Junaid Ahmed, a watchman working for the authority, and a private agent Muhammad Umar Shah.

He added that law enforcement agencies had seized important records and other evidence as part of the operation, adding that the scope of the investigation had been expanded.

“Further significant revelations and arrests are expected during the investigation, and all facilitators and key figures linked to this network will be brought to justice,” he said.

The spokesperson said that preliminary investigations showed that the suspects were involved in facilitating the issuance of fake identity documents for Afghan citizens, altering records and other illegal activities.

“Initial evidence points to links between this network and terrorist elements, a matter that is currently under further investigation,” the FIA spokesperson said.

The FIA’s statement comes a day after the family of one of the suspects, Fayyaz Ahmed, approached police with an application for his recovery after he was reported missing.

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan had also expressed concern, demanding that the Sindh government expedite its efforts to locate the missing Nadra official.

Millions of Afghans have poured into Pakistan over the past several decades, fleeing successive wars, as well as hundreds of thousands who arrived after the return of the Taliban government in 2021.

In June, Pakistan had issued a fresh order for the immediate arrest of Afghan nationals residing illegally in Pakistan. Since then, the repatriation of Afghan nationals has been gaining momentum.

Earlier this month, the FIA had arrested three Nadra officials in Chakwal on charges of issuing Computerised National Identity Card to an Afghan national who is in jail. In April, it had also arrested a Nadra official for his alleged “involvement” in issuing fake identity cards to Afghan nationals in Karachi.