The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) in Peshawar has intensified its efforts to combat the illegal issuance of Pakistani identity documents to Afghan nationals. On Thursday, the FIA reported the arrest of six Afghan nationals in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, accused of involvement in forging Pakistani identity cards. This operation highlights the ongoing challenge Pakistan faces in regulating the presence of undocumented immigrants within its borders.
Operation Details
The operation began with the arrest of Najibullah, an Afghan national, at the Torkham border—a key crossing point between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Najibullah was found in possession of both a Pakistani Computerised National Identity Card (CNIC) and an Afghan Tazkira (identity card). According to the FIA, Najibullah had entered Pakistan through the Pak-Afghan border at Chaman, Balochistan. He allegedly obtained a Pakistani CNIC and passport with the assistance of a cleric based in Quetta.
Read More: Afghans proud in defeat as fairytale World Cup run ends in semis
Following Najibullah’s arrest, the FIA conducted a raid at Usmania Hostel in Peshawar, where five additional Afghan nationals were apprehended. These individuals were also found in possession of forged Pakistani CNICs, passports, and Afghan Tazkiras. The FIA spokesperson noted that the suspects had planned to use the forged documents to travel to Saudi Arabia via Kabul.
Broader Context and Government Efforts
The arrests come as part of a broader crackdown on illegal activities related to identity fraud among Afghan immigrants in Pakistan. As of October 2023, an estimated 1.7 million undocumented Afghan nationals reside in the country. To address this issue, the Pakistani government launched the first phase of a repatriation drive for undocumented aliens in November 2023. The second phase, currently underway, targets those holding Afghan Citizenship Cards (ACC), leaving out those with Pakistan Origin Cards.
In recent months, the FIA has intensified its efforts to dismantle networks involved in forging Pakistani documents. This operation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa follows a similar incident last month when the Punjab Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) arrested a senior Al-Qaeda leader who had fraudulently obtained a Pakistani identity card while being an Afghan national.
Read More: UN agency urges Pakistan to halt expelling Afghans during winter
The FIA has indicated that the investigation into these arrests is ongoing, with a focus on identifying any involvement by employees of the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) and passport offices. Lt Gen Munir Afsar, chairman of Nadra, had previously acknowledged the complicity of some Nadra staff in issuing fake CNICs to foreign nationals, leading to the suspension of 84 officials.