GUJRAT: Two women arrived on Friday at Sialkot airport after being deported from Iraq for allegedly being involved in beggary, while as many other passengers, one of them wanted by security agencies, were also detained by the authorities.

A senior official of the Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) immigration wing told Dawn that during immigration clearance of Flight G9-552, it was found that two women passengers – Ms Sughra (emergency passport number ST654576) and Ms Zulaikha Jaafari (passport number BE8528492) -- were deported from Iraq for their involvement in “beggary”.

He said that upon verification it transpired that there was no departure record of Sughra, showing she had illegally traveled to Iraq through a land route via Iran for beggary.

Similarly, he said, Zulaikha Jafari, wife of Qadan Jafari, was also found suspicious and upon scrutiny of her travel record, the passenger was found involved in beggary in Iraq. She had already been deported from Iraq on an emergency passport in 2022.

A suspect returning from Dubai handed over to security agencies

Moreover, during immigration clearance of Flight PK 244, a passenger, Muhammad Shahzaib Ahmad of Wazirabad (passport number ZT1162582), returning from Saudi Arabia, was found suspicious.

Upon scrutiny of his passport, it transpired that he had a fake Netherlands visa. During initial interrogation, the suspect told FIA officials that his father paid an agent, Shafique Butt of Wazirabad (presently residing in KSA), 60000 Saudi Riyals to send him to Europe. He said the agent provided him with a Netherlands visa without any appointment with the Dutch embassy.

All three passengers were sent to FIA’s Gujranwala Anti Human Trafficking Cell for further action.

The official said that during immigration clearance of Flight FZ-337 a passenger, Umar Hashmi of Gujranwala(passport number BD6841232), who returned from Dubai, turned out to be a suspect wanted by security forces. He was arrested and later handed over to the authorities concerned, he added.

Published in Dawn, March 22nd, 2025