PESHAWAR: A gang allegedly involved in integrating Afghan nationals into Pakistani families in exchange for money has been busted in Bannu, police said.
The News learnt that Regional Police Officer (RPO) Bannu, Sajjad Khan, received credible intelligence about an organized group facilitating the illegal entry of Afghan nationals into Pakistan and their subsequent inclusion into local family records for financial gain.
The gang was also involved in arranging forged documents, including CNIC forms and passports, through illegal means.Following the tip-off, the RPO constituted a special team. During the operation, intelligence reports pointed to the presence of an Afghan national, Naqeeb Shah, son of Zar Kalam Khan and a resident of Khost, Afghanistan, at Lakki Gate Chowk in Bannu.
According to the information, an agent identified as Mamoor, based in Quetta, was responsible for smuggling Afghan nationals into Pakistan via the Chaman border through illegal channels. Upon arrival, they were handed over to a local facilitator, Badshah Khan, in Bannu.
The police team arrested Naqeeb Shah along with Badshah Khan, a resident of Dattakhel, North Waziristan.During interrogation, Naqeeb Shah revealed that his father had struck a financial deal with agent Mamoor to facilitate his travel abroad, particularly to Saudi Arabia. In this connection, he entered Pakistan illegally through the Chaman border.
After staying with Mamoor in Quetta for some time, he was given the contact number of facilitator Badshah Khan and instructed to meet him in Bannu. However, he was arrested upon arrival.
Further interrogation of Badshah Khan revealed that he, along with accomplices Ajmal Khan and Zain Ullah, son of Khair Muhammad , residents of North Waziristan currently living in Township, was involved in identifying Pakistani citizens willing to cooperate.
These individuals were allegedly paid around Rs200,000 to fraudulently include Afghan nationals in their family records, enabling them to obtain CNICs and other official documents.Subsequently, Badshah Khan and Ajmal Khan were arrested. During interrogation, the accused allegedly confessed to facilitating the issuance of fake CNICs by illegally enrolling Afghan nationals into Pakistani family records.An FIR has been registered against the accused, and further investigation is underway.
