The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Anti-Corruption Cell Islamabad has busted an alleged corruption network operating within the immigration clearance system at New Islamabad Airport, arresting two officials accused of taking bribes from foreign passengers.
Acting on information provided by a Chinese national, the FIA raided a location in Ghouri Town, Islamabad, and arrested Immigration and Passport Office official Junaid Mughal on charges of facilitating illegal immigration clearance.
A search of his mobile phone reportedly revealed WhatsApp chats and evidence of payments, with officials alleging that foreign nationals were charged Rs 80,000 per passenger for immigration clearance.
During the raid, FIA teams recovered Rs 20 million in cash from the trunk of a vehicle, packed inside a black suitcase. The recovered amount was seized and taken into custody through a formal seizure memo. According to the FIA, Junaid Mughal confessed to accepting a bribe from the Chinese national.
The agency also arrested Zafar Iqbal, an official of the Islamabad Police Special Protection Unit, whose phone reportedly contained chats related to passports, visas and immigration clearance. Investigators say records were also recovered showing alleged facilitation of foreign passengers across multiple flights.
An FIA spokesperson said the agency has registered a case against three individuals, including the Chinese national, under sections 109, 161 and 419 of the Pakistan Penal Code and section 5(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act 1947.
The spokesperson added that the role of other Special Protection Unit, immigration and National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency officials, along with private individuals, would be examined during the course of the investigation.
The FIA Anti-Corruption Cell Islamabad has formally launched its investigation into the case.
