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 bribe of $2,000 for the clearance of the crew of a foreign ship.
The arrested officer, identified as Nadeem Awan, allegedly prepared forged documents, including letters of credit, doctored technical charts and fabricated emails, to facilitate clearance of technicians on board the ship, Express News reported.
The incident unfolded in Port Qasim, where two FIA immigration officers demanded $4,000 from the ship’s captain to release 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 alter official records.
The investigation revealed that Awan provided falsified documentation to assist in the authorization process.
The case has raised serious concerns about corruption and abuse of authority within immigration procedures in Port Qasim.
The FIA has intensified its fight against such practices, and both Memon and Awan now face legal action. Further investigations are underway to identify other people involved in the scam.
Previously, it was reported that an FIA official was arrested for allegedly accepting a $2,000 bribe from eight Romanian technicians on board a foreign ship in Port Qasim.
Attaullah Memon, former FIA Immigration Officer in Port Qasim, allegedly demanded $4,000 from the ship’s agent but accepted half the amount. The authorization, provided in violation of immigration laws, allowed the technicians to work on the ship, which had traveled from the Indian port of Mundra to Karachi.
The alleged bribery involved manipulating official records to obtain authorization. Memon was assisted by Zohaib, another FIA staff member.
Under international immigration rules, ship technicians have designated permits to work on board without such illicit payments.
