PESHAWAR, Oct 23: The immigration authorities at the Peshawar airport on Saturday arrested an Afghan national who had travelled to Saudi Arabia on a Pakistani passport a few years ago and returned with an Afghan passport, said a senior official.

Accused Liaqat Khan, a resident of Kabul, had landed at Peshawar airport by a Gulf Air flight from Riyadh and submitted his travel documents at the immigration counter, said Assistant Director Immigration Cell Inamullah Khan Gandapur.

The officer on duty, Anila Naz, was surprised to see his Afghan passport wherein it was mentioned that he was holding a Pakistani passport before the Afghan consulate in Riyadh issued him an Afghan passport.

It was further revealed that he had travelled to Saudi Arabia on a green passport No G-865140 issued to him on Sept 18, 1999. Despite this, the Afghan consulate in Riyadh issued him an Afghan passport, Mr Gandapur said, adding that a large number of Afghan nationals had gone to Gulf countries for jobs on fake Pakistani travelling documents. However, he said, it was the first case wherein the Afghan consulate had issued an Afghan passport to a forger.

“Investigation must be carried out to know as to why the Afghan consulate in Riyadh issued this passport and how many passports he has so far issued to Afghans who had travelled on forged Pakistani passports,” said the assistant director of FIA’s Immigration Cell.

The Immigration Cell handed over the case to FIA’s Passport Cell, which has started investigation after registration of a case against the accused.

The Immigration Cell also arrested a resident of Bannu on his return from Riyadh on Saturday.

Accused Inayatullah Khan submitted his passport at the immigration counter and it was found that the picture on the passport had features different from those of the accused.—Correspondent