Iranians who travelled to and from Bahrain illegally on fake Pakistani passports managed to get fake birth and medical certificates made as well by paying Rs 3,70,000 (BD 1,000) each for the documents, Gulf Daily News reported.
It was further reported that officials from various government agencies were involved in the scam, following which, a committee has been formed by the authorities headed by National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) Sindh Director General Mir Ajam Khan Durrani.
The report also quoted a local daily newspaper that stated that the committee was formed after the Bahraini authorities had sent a letter to Pakistan.
After probing into the matter it was found that at least 14 Iranians travelled to Bahrain on Pakistani documents, who were arrested in September, whereas another seven were arrested in Pakistan.
Moreover, Bahraini authorities beefed up their immigration security, which then led to several visa applications being denied. Having said that, the police officials in Bahrain have asked Pakistani’s living in the country to verify their identity at police stations.
In addition to that, the Gulf Daily News further stated that 15 individuals have already been deported back to Pakistan, where they have claimed to come from different districts of Balochistan.
“The Iranians were also issued fake CNIC’s in Karachi between 2009 and 2018,” the report stated, adding that “the arrested look ‘strikingly different from their attesting families'”.
The report also stated that 15 Iranians who were arrested were unable to speak any local language including Urdu, Balochi and Pashto and that seven were arrested in Pakistan on December 13.