Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has dismantled a sophisticated visa fraud operation based in Islamabad, uncovering a network that enabled hundreds of Afghan nationals to secure forged Pakistani documents and foreign work permits.

According to an FIA statement, the Counter-Terrorism Wing arrested three individuals—Muhammad Alam Zeb, Asif Khan, and Haroon Rashid—who played key roles in issuing nearly 100 fraudulent Saudi Arabian work visas to Afghan citizens using fake Pakistani passports, machine-readable Nigerian passports, and forged National Identity Cards (CNICs).

Alam Zeb alone allegedly facilitated 31 visas, Asif Khan issued four, and Rashid processed 58, the FIA.

During coordinated raids, two additional suspects—Muhammad Ishaq Khan and Syed Ehsan Shah—were apprehended, reportedly connected to issuing visas and identification for 693 Afghan nationals between them.

Shah allegedly assisted 580 Afghans, and Ishaq Khan arranged documents for 22 others.

The scope of the investigation is expanding, with authorities probing the involvement of officials at the FIA Immigration and Passport Office and NADRA.

Scale of the Scam

According to the FIA, almost 700 Afghans obtained fraudulent visas and identities through the network.

However, the FIA is scrutinizing potential collusion by government employees in the passport and identity authorities.

The fake visas were primarily used for employment in Saudi Arabia, highlighting the transnational dimension of the racket.

This operation meanwhile forms part of wider FIA efforts to curb visa fraud, human smuggling, and related crimes.

In a separate operation in December, the FIA Immigration Unit intercepted individuals, including Afghan nationals, attempting to board flights with counterfeit visas—such as a Poland-bound flight using forged documents—resulting in arrests and referrals to the Anti-Human Trafficking Circle.

In earlier operations this year, the FIA arrested two agents in Peshawar for sending Afghans to Italy on fake Pakistani passports, seizing 15 passports and mobile phones, and uncovering human smuggling routes to Europe.

Additionally, investigations in Lahore led to the booking of 10 FIA officials and six travel agents for aiding 41 Afghans carrying counterfeit passports to Saudi Arabia.

The dismantling of this scam highlights vulnerabilities within Pakistan’s visa-issuance and identity system.

The FIA has pledged to intensify scrutiny of government employees in passport and registration departments. It also warned the public, urging travelers and employers to verify visa authenticity through official channels.

“This is not merely a scam—it puts national security and the credibility of Pakistan’s immigration infrastructure at risk,” the FIA stated. The investigation continues, with further arrests and legal proceedings anticipated.