KARACHI (MNN); The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Wednesday arrested four suspects, including two officials of the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA), in Karachi for their alleged involvement in issuing fraudulent identity documents to Afghan nationals.
According to an FIA spokesperson, those arrested include NADRA Assistant Director Imamul Haq, Deputy Assistant Director Fayyaz Ahmed, NADRA employee Junaid Ahmed, who served as a watchman, and private agent Muhammad Umar Shah.
The arrests were made during a targeted operation against an alleged network involved in preparing fake identity documents and manipulating official records for Afghan nationals residing in Pakistan.
The FIA said important official records, digital evidence and other documents were recovered during the operation, while investigators have widened the scope of the inquiry to identify other members and facilitators linked to the network.
The agency stated that preliminary investigations indicate the suspects were actively involved in illegally processing identity documents, tampering with official records and facilitating fraudulent registrations.
According to the FIA, initial evidence also suggests possible links between the document fraud network and terrorist elements. Officials said this aspect of the investigation is being examined in detail, and further arrests are expected as the inquiry progresses.
The FIA spokesperson said all individuals involved in the network, including facilitators and masterminds, would be identified and brought before the law.
The arrests came a day after the family of one of the detained officials, Fayyaz Ahmed, approached police seeking his recovery after reporting him missing.
Earlier, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) had expressed concern over his disappearance and urged the Sindh government to take immediate steps to locate the missing NADRA official.
Pakistan has hosted millions of Afghan refugees over the past four decades due to successive conflicts in Afghanistan, including a fresh influx following the Taliban’s return to power in 2021.
In June, the federal government directed authorities to intensify action against Afghan nationals residing illegally in Pakistan, accelerating the ongoing repatriation process.
The latest arrests are part of a broader nationwide crackdown on illegal identity documentation.
Earlier this month, the FIA arrested three NADRA officials in Chakwal for allegedly issuing a Computerised National Identity Card (CNIC) to an Afghan national currently imprisoned. In April, another NADRA official was arrested in Karachi over allegations of facilitating fake identity cards for Afghan citizens.
Authorities say investigations are continuing and more arrests are likely in the coming days.
