The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Saturday exposed a major illegal currency exchange network in Karachi, arresting two suspects during a targeted operation.
The action was carried out by the FIA’s State Bank Circle Karachi, dealing a significant blow to unauthorised currency trading activities. Officials said the network was involved in the illegal buying and selling of Iranian currency and was operating covertly in the city.
The arrested suspects were identified as Ahmed Khan and Misbah-ul-Haq, who were detained from the Industrial Area during the raid. FIA officials said the suspects were caught red-handed while conducting illegal transactions.
During the operation, authorities recovered approximately 200 million Iranian rials, dealing a major setback to the illicit network. According to the spokesperson, the suspects failed to provide any legal justification for their activities during initial interrogation.
Investigators further revealed that both individuals admitted to their involvement in illegal currency trading. Officials added that the scope of the investigation was being expanded, with the possibility of uncovering a wider network operating in the region.
The FIA spokesperson said strict action against elements involved in illegal currency trading would continue without discrimination, adding that further arrests were expected as the crackdown intensifies.
FIA immigration clarifies offloading of 23 passengers
The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Immigration authorities in Karachi had rejected what they termed misleading reports circulating in the media regarding the offloading of 23 passengers bound for Bahrain.
According to an FIA spokesperson, the passengers were travelling on Pakistani passports with valid work visas. However, during routine immigration clearance, they were referred for further scrutiny.
Initially, the passengers claimed they had secured employment through relatives, but detailed questioning revealed their statements to be false and misleading. The spokesperson said the passengers later admitted that their jobs had been arranged through agents.
Authorities also found that all 23 passengers were booked on the same flight under suspicious circumstances. Additionally, none of them could clearly explain the nature of their employment or provide relevant details. It was further revealed that none of the passengers possessed a valid foreign service agreement.
Based on these findings, all 23 individuals were offloaded. The FIA advised them to fulfil all legal requirements and obtain clearance from the pre-departure immigration desk before attempting to travel again.
The spokesperson reiterated that the FIA remained committed to facilitating genuine travellers while taking strict action to curb human smuggling in accordance with the law.
