KARACHI: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Immigration wing successfully thwarted an attempt by a passenger to travel to North Cyprus using forged educational documents at Jinnah International Airport, Karachi.
The Incident
According to an FIA spokesperson, the passenger, identified as Muhammad Asim from Chakwal, was attempting to travel on a student visa. During the immigration clearance process, the counter officer grew suspicious of his academic credentials and referred him to the G.R.O. (General Recording Officer) for detailed profiling and verification.
Discovery of Forgery
The passenger presented Secondary (2010) and Higher Secondary (2012) School Certificates from the Federal Board Islamabad, along with a BS Computer Science degree and transcript from the University of Lahore. Upon technical inspection, officials discovered that the QR code on the alleged Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) attestation labels redirected to a suspicious, non-governmental website, confirming that the ministry’s verification stamps were fraudulent.
The Investigation & Revelations
During on-site interrogation, the passenger revealed that he paid Rs. 1.3 million to an agent named Arsalan, associated with ATRAC Consultants in DHA Phase 2, Islamabad. The payment was made via online transactions to secure these fake documents for seeking better opportunities abroad.
Digital Evidence Recovered
A search of the passenger’s laptop led to the recovery of further incriminating evidence in PDF format, including alleged certificates from the Rawalpindi Board, a fake IELTS certificate, and a fraudulent Digital Marketing Manager experience certificate from a US-based company. Various URL sheets, social media logs, and passport-related data were also found.
Legal Action
The passenger has been offloaded and handed over to the FIA Anti-Human Trafficking Circle, Karachi, for further investigation and legal proceedings against him and the involved consultancy firm.
