ISLAMABAD – Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) launched massive investigation into growing visa forgery scandal, following the recent halting of hundreds of Pakistani citizens from traveling abroad.
FIA officials said the network of unscrupulous agents has been taking bribes to issue travel documents and visas that bear no connection to the stated purpose of travel. Over past few weeks, immigration authorities across all major airports in Pakistan have stopped hundreds of passengers because even minor discrepancies were found in their documents.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi visited airports to inspect travel documents. In a viral video, he is seen checking a passenger’s papers—an individual traveling abroad to obtain a driving license, despite not having one. Naqvi promised to arrange the passenger’s ticket after obtaining the license, though it later emerged that the individual did not even know how to start a car.
FIA now decided to conduct a sweeping crackdown on these corrupt agents. Documents obtained by Urdu News reveal that more than 4,000 cases have been investigated where agents used fake documents or provided false information to secure visas. A list of 2,500 agents who have been consistently involved in such illegal activities has been compiled, and authorities in Lahore have already begun taking action.
Official figures indicate that by December 2025, cases have been registered against over 1,000 agents who duped citizens into obtaining visas under false pretenses.
Meanwhile, ordinary citizens face bureaucratic hurdles even before reaching airports. At the Protector of Immigrants Office, many complain that their valid visas are not being stamped. On Wednesday, dozens protested outside the office.
Mehboob, another affected citizen, revealed that even though he has a farming visa issued directly by the Greek embassy, his documents remain unverified at the protector office.
Secretary of Overseas Pakistanis’ office clarified that only those whose documents have discrepancies are being delayed, and no Pakistani is being barred from traveling abroad otherwise.
The scandal exposed massive network of corruption involving visa agents, sparking outrage and putting the spotlight on Pakistan’s immigration and regulatory systems. With the FIA’s crackdown now underway, the nation watches closely to see how deeply the web of fraud extends and who will be held accountable.
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