The Anti-Corruption Circle of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) arrested a shipping agent, an accomplice of an FIA officer, in a case involving a $2,000 bribe for authorization of the crew of a foreign ship.
The arrested agent, identified as Nadeem Awan, allegedly prepared fake documents, including letters of credit, altered technician frames and fabricated emails, to facilitate the authorization of technicians on board the ship, Express reported News.
The incident occurred at Port Qasim, where two FIA immigration officers demanded $4,000 from the ship’s captain to authorize eight technicians.
According to FIA officials, Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Attaullah Memon was at the center of the scandal, blackmailing the ship’s captain and eventually accepting $2,000 to falsify official documents.
The investigation revealed that Awan provided falsified documents to facilitate the permitting process.
The case has raised serious concerns about corruption and abuse of authority in immigration procedures at Port Qasim.
The FIA has stepped up its crackdown on such practices, with Memon and Awan now facing legal action. Further investigations are underway to identify anyone else involved in the scam.
Previously, it was reported that FIA officers were arrested for allegedly accepting a $2,000 bribe from eight Romanian technicians aboard a foreign ship in Port Qasim.
Attaullah Memon, the former FIA immigration official at Port Qasim, reportedly demanded $4,000 from the ship’s agent but accepted half the amount. The permission, facilitated in violation of immigration laws, allowed technicians to work on the ship, which had traveled from the Indian port of Mundra to Karachi.
The alleged corruption involved the falsification of official documents to obtain authorization. Memon was assisted by Zohaib, another FIA staff member.
In accordance with international immigration regulations, technicians on board ships have designated authorizations to work on board without such illicit payments.
