FIA arrests man accused of selling fake Umrah visas to 49 citizens
File photo: A pilgrim prays before the Kaaba at Masjid al-Haram in Mecca (Wikimedia Commons, Ali Mansuri, CC BY-SA 2.5). The photo is not from today's arrest.
Dozens of people hoping to perform Umrah were cheated in Karachi — and on Thursday the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) arrested the man accused of doing it. The suspect allegedly sold fake Umrah visas, air tickets and travel packages to 49 citizens, taking around Rs7 million from them.
Who is the suspect?
The FIA’s Anti-Human Trafficking Circle (AHTC) in Karachi identified the suspect as Ishtiaq Ali, who is associated with M/S Karwan-e-Safar Travel and Tours. According to preliminary investigations, Ali collected roughly Rs7 million from 49 people but never provided the Umrah services he had promised. When the victims tried to reach him, he stopped responding — and the matter eventually reached the FIA.
Case registered, hunt on for more victims
The FIA has registered a case against the suspect under sections 406, 420 and 109 of the Pakistan Penal Code — criminal breach of trust, cheating, and abetment. The agency says it is still identifying other potential victims and has asked anyone affected to come forward with their complaints.
An old fugitive caught in a separate raid
In a separate operation announced the same day, the FIA arrested Shahzad Baloch, wanted in a human trafficking and visa fraud case registered back in 2014. Baloch was named in the FIR and had been declared a proclaimed offender by a competent court after failing to appear in proceedings over the years.
A word of caution
Before booking any Umrah or Hajj package, check the travel agency’s registration and track record — and keep written proof of every payment you make. That paper trail is often the only thing standing between a pilgrim and a fraudster.
