LAHORE – The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Tuesday arrested nine suspects believed to have been involved in a fake passport scam carried out by a Lahore-based politician and other officials. UK-based tabloid The Sun had claimed to have unearthed a scam Monday, involving a “Lahore-based politician" and other officials, wherein Pakistani nationals were brought into England under the garb of participants and officials accompanying the Pakistani Olympics delegation for the summer 2012 Games. A case has been registered against four men in FIA's anti-woman trafficking circle. They will be investigated by the agency. One of the suspects is a National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) official, while three are passports agents. Several raiding teams of the FIA have been constituted and further raids are expected. A team of senior Nadra officials has also arrived in Lahore to facilitate the investigations. According to an exclusive report of a sting operation published in The Sun, a journalist allegedly broke into “a crime ring offering false passports, visas – and access to London 2012 as bogus support staff." The Sun had alleged that a Lahore-based politician offered its undercover reporter in Pakistan the chance to go to the Olympics posing as an official member of the Pakistani contingent on a two-month visa in return for a million rupees ($10,000). The crime ring had been under investigation after the daily informed UK intelligence, MI6, the Home Office, the UK Border Agency and the British High Commission in Islamabad. 10 agents arrested in Faislabad Estate Commissioners arrested 10 agents in a raid outside the passport office in Faisalabad, Express News reported Tuesday. A case was registered against these agents who had set up a makeshift office right outside the office. Pakistan sports officials slam visa scam claims Pakistani sports officials Monday rubbished claims by a British tabloid to have uncovered a visa scam that could have allowed potential terrorists into the Olympic Village. Pakistan's Olympic chef de mission Aqil Shah dismissed the Sun's claims. “These are baseless reports," Shah said. “This is an attempt to malign Pakistan. Even if someone gets a passport he cannot enter the Olympic Village without an Olympic accreditation card." Pakistan's 39-strong delegation consists of 23 athletes and 16 officials. Shah justified the number of officials. “Hockey has at least six officials which are under the rules and then we have physicians and other coaches who are genuine members of Pakistan's contingent," said Shah. Pakistan Olympic Association chief Arif Hasan was already in London and discussing the matter with the Pakistan High Commission, said Shah. — Agencies
