LAHORE: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has arrested 16 agents and two officials in a crackdown on passport agent mafia.

The FIA’s Anti-Corruption Circle carried out raids outside passport offices in Garden Town, Shahdara and Harbanspura and arrested 10 agents and two passport officials.

According to the FIA, the suspects were illegally charging citizens extra money for processing passports. They deceived applicants by promising expedited passport processing in exchange for additional payments.

Passports, tokens, bank challans, receipts and other important evidence were recovered from the suspects.

In another raid outside the Protectorate of Emigrants Office in Lahore, six agents were arrested. The suspects were illegally charging citizens additional money for obtaining clearance.

They lured applicants by promising faster processing of protector clearance in return for extra payments.

Published in Dawn, July 23rd, 2026