The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Anti-Corruption Circle has arrested a shipping agent, an accomplice of an FIA officer, in a case involving a $2,000 bribe for approval of a foreign ship’s crew.
The arrested agent, identified as Nadeem Awan, allegedly prepared forged documents including letters of credit, altered technician cadres and fabricated emails to facilitate the authorization of technicians on board the ship, Express News reported.
The incident unfolded at Port Qasim where two FIA immigration officers demanded $4,000 from the vessel’s captain to clear 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 ultimately accepting $2,000 to tamper with official records.
The investigation revealed that Awan provided falsified documentation to assist in the approval 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 efforts against such practices, with both Memon and Awan now facing legal action. Further investigations are underway to identify any additional individuals involved in the scam.
Earlier, it was reported that FIA officer was arrested for allegedly accepting a $2,000 bribe from eight Romanian technicians on board a foreign vessel at Port Qasim.
Attaullah Memon, the former in-charge of FIA Immigration in Port Qasim, reportedly demanded $4,000 from the ship’s agent but settled for half the amount. The approval, facilitated in violation of immigration laws, allowed the technicians to work on the ship, which had traveled from India’s Mundra port to Karachi.
The alleged bribery involved tampering with official records to secure approval. Memon was assisted by Zohaib, another FIA employee.
According to international immigration regulations, technicians on ships have designated permits to work on board without such illegal payments.
