KARACHI – The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has launched an investigation into allegations of bribery, illegal payments and irregularities in the protector clearance process at the Bureau of Immigration and Overseas Employment (BEOE) in Karachi.
Protector stamp is a mandatory legal clearance issued by the Government of Pakistan through the Bureau of Emigration & Overseas Employment (BE&OE) for Pakistani citizens traveling abroad on a work visa.
The inquiry began after four citizens lodged complaints alleging that an agent had collected a total of Rs76,400 from them in connection with protector clearance services.
Following an initial review by the FIA Immigration Task Team, the matter was referred to the FIA Anti-Corruption Circle (ACC) in Karachi for further investigation.
The complainants, identified as Ahmed Mukhtar, Muhammad Naveed, Asad Sabir and Ahad Hussain, accused an agent named Nadeem Arain of collecting the money.
As part of the preliminary inquiry, an FIA team visited the BEOE office in PECHS Block 6, Karachi, accompanied by the complainants. Based on their identification, the team questioned Nadeem Ahmed, a former bureau employee.
During the preliminary questioning, Nadeem Ahmed allegedly disclosed details of a system involving the collection and distribution of additional payments for protector clearance.
Applicants were allegedly charged amounts beyond the prescribed fees, even when their documentation was complete. The reported additional charges varied according to destination, with Rs20,000 allegedly collected for African countries, Rs10,000 for Canada and Europe, and Rs4,000 for Gulf countries.
The allegations further suggest that several private individuals and government employees may have been involved in the purported arrangement. Claims were also made that portions of the money were distributed to senior officials on a weekly basis, with some payments allegedly made in US dollars.