ISLAMAABAD – The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) managed to arrest two key figures implicated in a large-scale visa fraud operation on Friday.
The scammers duped more than 350 individuals and were arrested following a raid in Islamabad. They were identified as Ghulam Murtaza and Anjum Javed.
The fraudulent scheme orchestrated by the duo and their accomplices promised lucrative job opportunities in Greece. Through the visa racket, the scammers were able to mint over Rs78 million from fellow Pakistanis in exchange for fake visas.
The perpetrators vanished with the collected funds but were finally apprehended as FIA has expedited its ongoing crackdown against human trafficking and visa scams.
In light of these incidents, the FIA has time and again advised the public to verify the legitimacy of job offers and visa processes through official channels to avoid falling victim to such fraudulent schemes.
Earlier this month, the FIA’s Anti-Human Trafficking Cell in Rawalpindi raided the premises of Hashmi Overseas Employment on Murree Road, leading to the arrest of Owais Nazir, a suspected human trafficker, who had allegedly defrauded a citizen of Rs0.63 million under false promises of employment in Bahrain, Express Tribune reported.
It bears mentioning that the inflation and economic conditions in Pakistan are pushing youngsters to find ways to leave the country and never return. Under the same pressure, hundreds of Pakistanis have fallen victim to the scammers despite announcements by the Federal Investigation Agency and other immigration-related departments to verify the authenticity of visa documents before handing over hard-earned money.
