ISLAMABAD: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) is in the process of quizzing blacklisted US national Matthew Craig Barrett, who has claimed that he had come back to Pakistan to explore the possibility of permanently moving here.

A case has been registered against Barrett under the Foreigners Act and the Pakistan Customs Act.

Sources told Dawn that Barrett had tried to justify his arrival in Pakistan — despite being on a government blacklist — saying that he reasoned there were no charges against him after he was issued a visa by the consulate in Houston.

But things may not be as simple as that. Sources privy to the investigation have raised several questions: why would he come to assess the feasibility of moving to Pakistan without his wife, Banosha Khan; and, how did he manage to obtain a four-year multiple-entry visa within 24 hours.

JIT formed to establish how Barrett managed to get a visa, enter Islamabad

His clearance by the immigration authorities at a time when a sub-inspector and his son were on duty and the fact that he mentioned the wrong address on the disembarkation card upon his arrival raises serious questions about his credentials and intent, particularly when his track record is suspicious.

Barrett was arrested in 2011 while taking photographs of sensitive installations in the Jhang Bhattar area near Islamabad. Maps of sensitive installations had also been recovered from him at the time.

Though his visa was valid until Dec 11, 2011, at the time of his arrest in May, its term was reduced at the request of an intelligence agency to June 4, 2011 and Barrett was asked to leave Pakistan. But instead of going back, he had gone into hiding and was arrested at a residence in sector E-11 days after his visa expired.

In addition, FIA Assistant Director (Immigration) Nadeem Zafar, who was suspended for allegedly clearing Barrett, had also been suspended in 2009 for alleged links with foreigners while he was serving as an inspector in the FIA.

He then moved to the United Kingdom after obtaining ex-Pakistan leave and re-joined the FIA on his return in 2013.

Joint investigation team

Meanwhile, a joint investigation team (JIT), headed by SP Investigation retired Captain Mohammad Ilyas, was notified on Aug 7 and has begun a probe into the circumstances surrounding Barrett’s arrival in Islamabad.

According to the JIT’s terms of reference, it will conduct a detailed investigation to ascertain how Barrett was issued a visa despite the fact that he was deported and blacklisted for re-entry into Pakistan for allegedly “scouting nuclear facilities near the federal capital”.

It will investigate how Barrett managed to enter Pakistan and uncover the role played by officials at Pakistan’s consulate in Houston, as well as the relevant FIA officers.

The JIT may co-opt any other person or officer or call for any record from consulate general of Pakistan, Houston, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Interior and FIA for assistance in the investigation and is required to finalise and submit its report and recommendations within seven days.

Published in Dawn, August 9th, 2016