FIA Arrests Man for Defrauding 49 People in Fake Umrah Visa and Ticket Scam

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has arrested a man accused of defrauding 49 people of roughly Rs. 7 million by promising them Umrah visas, airline tickets and complete travel packages, officials said.

According to the agency's Anti-Human Trafficking Circle (AHTC) in Karachi, the suspect was identified as Ishtiaq Ali and was linked to a travel and tours company, M/S Karwan-e-Safar Travel and Tours. The FIA said he collected around Rs. 7 million from the 49 complainants but never delivered the promised Umrah services.

Investigators allege that instead of arranging genuine bookings, the suspect issued fake airline tickets and hotel vouchers to the victims. A case has been registered against him under Sections 406, 420 and 109 of the Pakistan Penal Code, which cover criminal breach of trust, cheating and abetment.

In a separate operation, the FIA said it arrested Shahzad Baloch, who was wanted in a human trafficking and visa fraud case first registered in 2014. Baloch was named in the case's first information report and had been declared a proclaimed offender by a court after repeatedly failing to appear in legal proceedings.

The arrests come as Pakistani authorities continue to warn the public about fraudulent travel agents, particularly during the Umrah and Hajj seasons when demand for visas and packages runs high. Officials have repeatedly urged pilgrims to verify the credentials of tour operators and to use authorised channels before making payments.

The FIA has not announced any additional charges in either case. Further investigation into both matters is ongoing, according to the agency.