Khyber News

ISLAMABAD: Senior advisor on Interior Affairs Rehman Malik Monday took serious notice of the reports about fake Pakistani passport and Olympic visa scandal and formed a joint investigation team of the FIA, Nadra and Passport office for probing the matter. 

British newspaper ‘The Sun’ has claimed to have busted a visa scam being run by Pakistani officials and a Lahore based politician. The paper claims that the scam gives potential terrorists the chance to sneak into Britain with Pakistan’s Olympic team.

An undercover investigator from the British daily infiltrated the ring offering the false passports and visas. According to the paper, their investigator was provided a Pakistani passport with a fake name.

The investigator was also informed by a Lahore based politician Abid Choudhry that 7,000 pounds could get him a two month visa and smuggle him into London 2012 as part of Pakistan’s Olympic Squad.

Choudhry further said that just over 1,000 pounds were required for an official letter from the Pakistan Sports Board saying he (investigator) was part of the country’s Olympic squad.

 ‘The Sun’ has alerted the MI6, the Home Office, the UK Border Agency and the British High Commission in Islamabad and an investigation is underway.

The Sun's investigator told he could be smuggled into London games as part of Pakistan’s Olympic squad for £7,000.

The tabloid claims its investigator obtained a Pakistani passport with a false name. The investigator was told by Chodhary that they could get him a two-month visa and smuggle him into the London games as part of Pakistan’s Olympic squad in the athletes’ support team for £7,000.

The Sun also secretly filmed Chodhary while he explained the entire process to the investigator and told him that he could also get him into the opening ceremony.

MI6, UK’s Home Office, the UK Border Agency and the British High Commission in Pakistan were alerted about the scam and an investigation was initiated subsequently.

British High Commission Spokesperson Imran Rana said, “We thank The Sun for highlighting this attempted deal and will be handling the evidence over to the Pakistani authorities.”

Meanwhile the NADRA chairman said all angles of the fake passport scam will be investigated. He added than an investigation team would be formed and strict action will be taken against those involved.The Nadra has suspended its eight employees working at the Lahore office and while the interior ministry has put their names and Abid Chaudhry name on ECL and arrested the Nadra employees-- Agencies