Fake FIA officer held at airport

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A file photo of Islamabad International Airport. PHOTO: AFP

RAWALPINDI:

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Anti-Human Trafficking Circle Islamabad claimed on Sunday to have arrested an agent allegedly involved in human smuggling during a raid at Islamabad International Airport.

According to officials, the suspect posed as a sub-inspector of the FIA's immigration wing and defrauded unsuspecting individuals under the pretext of facilitating immigration clearance. Three mobile phones and a fake FIA service card were recovered from his possession.

Authorities said Shehzad Nadeem Bukhari, Director of the FIA Islamabad Zone, received intelligence reports indicating that a member of a human-smuggling network was actively operating at the Islamabad airport as well as in Rawalpindi and Islamabad.

The suspect allegedly impersonated an FIA immigration sub-inspector and extorted large sums of money from people in the name of securing immigration clearance.

Acting on the information, the director constituted a team headed by Nadeem Zafar. During the inquiry, a victim of the suspect also came forward and identified the agent, prompting the FIA team to conduct a raid at the airport.

The suspect, identified as Imtiaz Nazar, was arrested red-handed.