RAWALPINDI: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has uncovered an alleged network involving officials of the FIA’s Immigration Wing, Immigration and Passports Department and Islamabad Police’s Special Protection Unit (SPU), who allegedly facilitated immigration clearance and movement of foreign nationals in return for bribes.

The development came during an investigation into 406 foreigners, including 46 women, arrested by the FIA’s Anti-Human Trafficking Cell and the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) earlier this week over their alleged involvement in call centre and digital scams, visa violations and other illegal activities.

Initially, these foreigners were confined in a multi-storey building located in Gulberg Greens after it was declared a sub-jail. Later, 231 of them were shifted to Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi and District Jail, Attock.

The alleged network came to light after a Chinese national, known as Jack/Jason, disclosed an organised nexus involving officials of immigration, passports and the SPU who allegedly facilitated immigration clearance and movement of foreign nationals against illegal gratification.

Development came during probe into 406 foreigners arrested over their alleged involvement in digital scams, other illegal activities

Director FIA Islamabad Zone Syed Shahzad Nadeem Bukhari confirmed that two officials of the Passport Office and SPU Islamabad police had been arrested and that a Chinese national, who had been playing the role of a middle-man, had also been booked in connection with the recent arrests of the foreigners.

He further said the investigation was underway to check the role of any NCCIA official in this case.

According to the First Information Report (FIR) registered with the FIA’s Anti-Corruption Cell on August 15, the Chinese middleman disclosed during interrogation that the officials of the Passport Office and the SPU and others, facilitated immigration clearance of foreign passengers in return for Rs80,000 per person.

The FIR said the Chinese national’s mobile phone contained WhatsApp conversations, chats and payment receipts. He also allegedly disclosed that foreign nationals were making regular monthly payments as “protection money” to the NCCIA Islamabad.

Following the disclosure, the FIA formed a raiding team comprising Anti-Corruption Cell Assistant Director Umar Arsalan, SHO Inspector Raja Fahim and other officials which arrested the Passport Office official from his Ghouri Town residence. The FIA team also claimed to have recovered Rs20 million cash in a suitcase from the trunk of the arrested official’s car. The amount was yet to be distributed among his alleged associates.

Later, the FIA team also arrested the official of SPU from Islamabad.

Published in Dawn, August 19th, 2026