Seven Iranians remanded to jail for illegally obtaining Pakistani ID cards, passports

A judicial magistrate has remanded seven Iranian nationals to jail in a case pertaining charges of illegally obtaining Pakistani identity cards and passports.

According to the Federal Investigation Agency, the suspects wanted to travel to the Middle East on their fake Pakistani identities.

The names of the suspects were not released to the media; however, the FIA in a statement said that these arrests were made in raids in different parts of Karachi.

At the outset of the hearing, the FIA investigation officer presented the suspects before the court of East district’s judicial magistrate Mukesh Kumar.

The IO said that Pakistani computerised national identity cards and passports were seized from the suspects, all Iranian nationals. He added that the suspects had obtained these documents with the help of Pakistani and Iranian agents and they were planning to go to Qatar on their forged identities.

He said the Anti-Human Smuggling Circle of the FIA had received a tip-off that these suspects had recently obtained these identities and were present in the city.

He said the FIA had already launched a crackdown against officials at the National Database Registration Authority who were allegedly involved in illegally issuing CNICs to foreigners against bribes.

The judge, after accepting the initial report from the FIA, sent the suspects to jail in judicial custody, and directed the IO to bring a charge sheet against them to the next hearing.

The FIR was registered against the Iranian nationals under relevant sections of the Foreigners Act and Pakistan Penal Code.

Earlier in September, the court had remanded two Nadra officials to jail in a similar case. They were held for misusing their powers and illegally issuing CNICs.