Govt officials, others booked for issuing fake CNICs, passports

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has lodged a case against 98 people, including Immigration and Passport and National Database Registration Authority (Nadra) officials, for illegally issuing computerised national identity cards (CNICs) and passports.

Others accused are Afghan nationals, civilian facilitators, agents and touts. The agency has registered two FIRs.

FIA Deputy Director Afzal Khan Niazi confirmed the report when contacted, saying that widespread detentions of those involved in the sensitive illegalities have been started in different areas.

He said that that on a complaint of the Immigration and Passport DG as many as 16 suspects, including three Immigration and Passport assistant directors and four Nadra officers, have been arrested. Four agents and five Afghan nationals have also been rounded up so far.

Two Passport Office officials in Islamabad have been arrested by the FIA in a case about issuance of forged passports. The officials are said to be involved in issuance of Pakistani Passport to Afghan nationals in connivance with private individuals.

The second FIR was lodged on the complaint of Nadra Director Major Khursheed Ahmed under Section 31 of Nadra Ordinance 2000 with other sections of PPC and anti-corruption law.

Nadra found out that some Afghan nationals obtained CNICs based on the fake documents in connivance with the agents and Nadra staff members. An initial assessment of the record reveals that CNICs bearing marked numbers have been issued to Afghan nationals, the FIA official said.