FIA official arrested for issuing blue passports to Afghan nationals

ISLAMABAD: In a major step in its crackdown on passport fraud, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has arrested one of its officials, Aneeq and his father, for illegally issuing blue passports to Afghan nationals.

As per the details, the case involves fraudulent activities that occurred during 2020, 2021 and 2022.

An FIA investigation into the misuse of the blue passport, normally reserved for diplomatic use, has revealed serious breaches of national security and diplomatic protocol.

According to FIA sources, Aneeq, a government official in the agency, was responsible for issuing these passports to Afghan nationals. The men later used these documents to travel to Turkey, where Turkish authorities discovered and confiscated several fake passports.

The agency has registered a case of terrorism against Aneeq and his associates. This follows the earlier arrest of four other suspects from the passport office involved in the same fraud.

The illegal issuance of these blue passports not only compromised national security but also adversely affected Pakistan’s diplomatic relations, causing great embarrassment at the international level.

A two-year FIA investigation into the case revealed that Aneeq was also involved in passing confidential information to others linked to the passport fraud network. The agency is now focusing on uncovering the full extent of the fraud scheme and identifying any additional officials who may have been involved.

The FIA’s actions indicate the seriousness with which it is dealing with breaches of national security and integrity, aimed at restoring confidence and ensuring that such breaches are met with appropriate legal consequences.