FIA Arrests CNIC Counterfeiters

APP

Islamabad: The Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) Anti-Corruption Circle in Islamabad on Tuesday apprehended a four-member gang allegedly involved in distributing counterfeit CNICs to non-nationals.

Acting under the guidance of Deputy Director Afzal Khan Niazi, the FIA conducted the operation resulting in the arrest of Muhammad Tahir, Adnan Ammar, Muhammad Amir Khan, and Muhammad Tayyab, who held positions as deputy assistant directors and senior executives at NADRA Mega Centre, Blue Area, Islamabad.

The arrests, which took place in Islamabad, were part of a raid led by Inspector Zahid Bhatti. These individuals had issued identity cards to non-nationals and Afghans between 2019 and 2020.

Related:https://thepenpk.com/baig-apprehended-for-counterfeit-diplomas/

They accomplished this by arranging false paternal links among drug addicts, laborers, and daily wage workers, enticing them with payments disguised as assistance from programs like HSAAS, BISP, or NGO aid.

Subsequently, the NADRA officers obtained their biometrics to falsely include the names of Afghans and non-nationals in fabricated family trees.

The NADRA staff received financial rewards, either directly or indirectly, for these unlawful actions. By substituting the biometrics of juveniles and drug addicts for those of non-nationals/Afghans during CNIC registration and processing, these actions posed a threat to national security.

The absence of genuine biometric records for these individuals makes it impossible to trace them through biometric analysis.

“Hence, the aforementioned NADRA officials stand accused of cheating, fraud, and forgery through the misuse of their authority and official positions,” stated the spokesperson. They further mentioned that the investigation would ascertain the involvement of other NADRA officials, private agents, and facilitators.