Islamabad, March 31 (NationPress) - The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) of Pakistan has taken action against two passengers at Multan International Airport for allegedly attempting to use an Umrah visa to gain entry into Europe, as reported by local media outlets.

A spokesperson for the FIA indicated that immigration personnel conducted a routine screening of departing passengers at Multan airport. Two Pakistani individuals, Sikander Alam and Noor Islam, were on their way to Saudi Arabia for performing Umrah. However, preliminary investigations raised red flags, leading officials to subject them to a more thorough screening process, according to reports from Pakistan's prominent daily, Dawn.

Upon further investigation, officials discovered that both Alam and Islam possessed Moroccan visas in their passports. When questioned, they revealed that their true destination was Spain rather than Saudi Arabia.

The FIA noted that this incident is consistent with recent warnings issued by their headquarters regarding an uptick in cases where individuals attempt to exploit Umrah visas as a means to enter Europe illegally via Morocco.

Following these discoveries, both passengers were removed from the flight and taken to the FIA Composite Circle in Multan for additional questioning.

Earlier in January, a separate report highlighted an incident involving two Pakistani citizens attempting to travel to France with forged documents. The FIA uncovered the situation at Islamabad International Airport, revealing a network involved in immigration fraud and the misuse of power within Pakistan, which continues to challenge the issue of illegal migration.

As detailed in an editorial by Business Recorder, while the case began with two individuals aiming to reach France on counterfeit credentials, it unveils deeper systemic weaknesses and prompts critical questions about governance, accountability, and the abuse of public office within a vital regulatory authority.

This particular case also implicated a senior official from the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), accused of facilitating fraudulent French visit visas by leveraging his authority. The suspects attempted to masquerade as FBR employees claiming affiliation with an official delegation to obscure their true intentions.

The fabricated email correspondence presented at the airport, allegedly between a Gmail account and a seemingly official FBR email address, referenced meetings and visits to the European Parliament, indicating an effort to evade scrutiny from both Pakistani authorities and foreign embassies, as mentioned in the Business Recorder editorial.

When asked for verification, the individuals failed to provide any legitimate travel authorization, employment verification, or official communication from the FBR. A review of their travel itinerary, including a same-day trip from Paris to Barcelona, contradicted their stated travel purpose and indicated plans to remain in Europe and seek asylum.