Passenger held for currency smuggling bid

LAHORE

Acting against capital flight, FIA’s immigration officials at Allama Iqbal International Airport, Lahore, on Wednesday arrested a passenger when he was trying to leave for abroad along with foreign currency equal to over $ 11, 000.

The accused, Muhammad Umar, was offloaded and sent to Anti Human Trafficking Cell (AHTC) of FIA Lahore for further investigations. The immigration staff said that the passenger was a frequent traveler and had 42 departures/arrivals in 2016. He, they added, had also traveled abroad over 250 times in the past few years. According to FIA officials, the accused  was trying to leave for abroad when the immigration staff led by Inspector Adeel Abbas searched him and found foreign currency equal to $ 11, 000 in his possession. 

Officials said the FIA DG had issued directions to all check posts to take measures to stop flight of capital from Pakistan. They said FIA Immigration officials at Lahore airport had started checking of suspicious passengers.