The Ministry of Interior Pakistan’s government had opted for a stringent disposition in the cases of citizens indulging in criminal pursuits abroad, more so in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The official sources stated that 4,700 Pakistani nationals currently imprisoned in the UAE have had their passports blocked by the government. This action followed the UAE’s delivery of a detailed account of the 5,292 Pakistani citizens who have been sentenced to jail for violating various laws.
Of those numbers, 2,470 have been convicted of offenses related to drugs; 100 others are involved in fraud, deception, and sexual harassment cases. The passports of 704 theft convicts, along with 216 convicted murderers and robbers, were also invalidated since these actions were concluded. Additionally, the passports of 375 Pakistani nationals illegally residing in the UAE were also canceled.
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In an unrelated development, on November 2nd, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) arrested 34 Afghan nationals trying to go outside the country using forged passports from Pakistan. Reports say they illegally entered Pakistan through the Chaman border and were arrested in Peshawar. Additional FIA director Rizwan Shah noted that two foreign nationals were arrested at a hostel in Peshawar in a raid, bringing to light 32 other Afghan nationals residing there. The findings stated the arrested suspects obtained false identity cards and passports with the help of agents in Pakistan.
Earlier on Friday, the Federal Investigation Agency arrested three persons allegedly involved in the issuance of fraudulent Pakistani passports to Afghan nationals. The Anti-Corruption Wing of FIA arrested three agents from Attock, identified through an already arrested accused named Dost Mohammad. The arrested agents were operating as agents, preparing the false paperwork through officials of the National Database Regulatory Authority (NADRA).
FIA has also arrested 15 other suspects, including seven officers of NADRA State and Passport Immigration, in this case mushrooming around the issuance of fake Pakistani passports to Afghan nationals. The arrested suspects also include three Assistant Directors of Pakistan Immigration and four NADRA officers. The action was initiated on complaints made by NADRA and the Passport Office against the gang involved in the forgery of Pakistani passports at the international level. In this case, sixteen accused individuals have been arrested.