RAWALPINDI: The scope of investigations into alleged travel by 10 Afghan nationals on fake documents aboard a PIA flight from Islamabad to London was expanded on Sunday and one of the airline’s duty supervisors was suspended, sources said on Sunday.

Management of the Pakistan International Airlines suspended Khurram Shahzad, a member of the task force which had cleared visas and passports of the Afghans at the Benazir Bhutto International Airport.

Know more: Two FIA directors transferred, three officials suspended

The Afghan nationals were taken into custody after they had landed at the Heathrow airport.

Earlier, FIA official Shahzad Gul, who had checked the travel documents of the Afghans at the immigration counter, was taken into custody by a team of the Federal Investigation Agency which is investigating the matter.

A PIA spokesman told Dawn that an investigation had been launched against Mr Shahzad and other staff members.

FIA deputy director Mohibullah Mandokhail and assistant director Matiullah had been transferred and inspector Rana Abid, general checker Zafar Iqbal and counter official Gul had been suspended and a departmental inquiry was initiated against them after the British High Commission lodged a complaint that 10 Afghans were found at the Heathrow airport after travelling on a PIA flight on fake documents.

When contacted, FIA director Inam Ghani said the accused officials of the airline and immigration would be investigated to reach other people involved the scam.

According to the airport sources, the FIA investigation team had also been examining CCTV images obtained from the international departure lounge.

Published in Dawn, October 6th, 2014