Rs1.15m Visa Scam Exposed at Islamabad Airport
FIA immigration officers at Islamabad airport have exposed an Islamabad airport visa scam after offloading a passenger bound for Türkiye. The man had allegedly paid Rs1.15 million to an agent for a visa he planned to misuse for work abroad. Officers stopped him during routine immigration clearance and handed him to the FIA Anti-Human Trafficking Circle in Islamabad for further investigation.
The passenger was due to travel to Türkiye on Qatar Airways flight QR-615. An immigration officer spotted discrepancies in his travel documents and in the stated purpose of his visit. The officer then referred him for secondary profiling, where a closer check of his documents and mobile phones revealed the alleged scam. The Express Tribune reported the case from the FIA inquiry at Islamabad airport.
The case shows how agents are now using conference and NGO visas to move people abroad for work. It also shows the checks that caught this attempt before the passenger could board his flight.
Islamabad airport visa scam: what the inquiry found
The second-line immigration officer found that the passenger had allegedly obtained an NGO visa linked to COP31 through an agent. He had paid Rs1.15 million for it. The agent had assured him that he could take up employment in Türkiye on the visa, even though work is not allowed under its conditions.
Further checks showed that the passenger was not a member of the HOPE NGO named in the arrangement. WhatsApp conversations and data from his mobile phone pointed to his contact with the agent and to the plan to misuse the visa.
| Detail | What the inquiry found |
|---|---|
| Flight | QR-615 to Türkiye |
| Amount paid to agent | Rs1.15 million |
| Visa type | NGO visa linked to COP31 |
| Bribe the agent allegedly suggested | Rs150,000 to FIA officials |
| Action taken | Passenger offloaded, case sent to Anti-Human Trafficking Circle |
The inquiry also found that the agent had allegedly told the passenger to offer Rs150,000 as a bribe to FIA immigration officials to get clearance. That instruction exposed an attempt to influence the immigration process through illegal means. Officers did not accept any payment, and the passenger was stopped before departure.
Passenger handed to anti-trafficking circle
After the irregularities came to light, officers offloaded the passenger and handed him to the FIA Anti-Human Trafficking Circle in Islamabad. The circle will now investigate the agent and the network behind the arrangement, and it will decide what legal action follows.
The case will also test whether more people were moved through the same route. Investigators will look at the phone data and the payment trail to trace the agent and any others involved in arranging the visa.
Why the case matters now
The timing matters. COP31 is under way in Türkiye, and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is in the country for the climate summit. Conference visas linked to a major summit are in demand, and that demand gives agents a fresh cover story to sell. This case shows that cover being used to promise jobs that the visa does not allow.
Pakistan has seen the same pattern before. The FIA earlier exposed a fake Umrah visa fraud worth Rs7 million, in which agents took large sums from people seeking religious travel. In another case, the NCCIA arrested a Faisalabad man over a TikTok-based Saudi visa fraud. The Islamabad airport case follows the same model: a real visa route, a false promise of work, and a heavy fee.
The FIA has also been active against illegal migration routes. It has moved against agents running an illegal immigration route through Libya, and the state is tightening travel documents at home. Pakistan has started local production of e-passports with security chips, which makes forged documents harder to use at the border.
For travellers, the lesson is plain. A visa that does not allow work cannot be turned into a work permit by paying an agent. The fee in this case was Rs1.15 million, and the passenger lost both the money and his flight. Anyone offered work abroad on a visit, conference or NGO visa should check the visa conditions with the embassy or the FIA before paying.
Frequently asked questions
How much did the passenger pay for the visa?
He allegedly paid Rs1.15 million to an agent for an NGO visa linked to COP31, which he planned to use to seek work in Türkiye.
Which flight was the passenger booked on?
He was scheduled to travel to Türkiye on Qatar Airways flight QR-615 from Islamabad airport.
How did officers detect the scam?
An immigration officer spotted discrepancies in his travel documents and stated purpose of visit during routine clearance. A second-line officer then checked his documents and mobile phones, which revealed the alleged arrangement with the agent.
Was the passenger a member of the NGO named in the visa?
No. The inquiry found that he was not a member of the HOPE NGO, and WhatsApp conversations on his phone pointed to his contact with the agent.
What happens next in the case?
The passenger was offloaded and handed to the FIA Anti-Human Trafficking Circle in Islamabad for further investigation and legal action against the agent and the network behind the visa.
