FIA arrests 'blacklisted' US national from Islamabad

FIA arrests 'blacklisted' US national from Islamabad

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) early Saturday morning said it arrested a "blacklisted" US national after he was granted entry by a FIA sub-inspector and his son at the Benazir Bhutto International Airport (BBIA).

The US national, identified as Mathew Barret, was blacklisted from Pakistan in 2011 on charges of espionage.

The FIA has registered a First Information Report (FIR) against the officials.

According to the FIA, Barret forged documents to enter the city. The move alerted the organisation's Islamabad chapter.

After arresting Barret, the FIA transferred him to the immigration cell.

Allegedly, sub-inspector Raja Asif and his son Ihtesham-ul-Haq's negligence led to the security breach for which the two were also named in the FIR.

FIA is conducting raids to arrest the accused.

Houston-based Vice Councilor for Visa Sayeda Altaf was also named in the FIR for issuing visa to Barret, said FIA, assuring, that the main culprits will be unveiled.

In June this year, a Spanish national of Pakistani original, who was blacklisted by the British authorities after being convicted in a drug smuggling case, was offloaded from a flight to Manchester at the BBIA.

Chaudhry Nisar orders inquiry

Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, while taking notice of the matter, suspended FIA’s assistant director along with airport shift’s entire staff.

Nisar instructed his ministry’s officials to find out whether Barret’s entry in the country, despite being blacklisted, was because of mere negligence or is there anything more to the case.

An inquiry team, formed under interior minister’s additional secretary, has been ordered to investigate the matter and submit its report within 24 hours despite the weekend.FIA arrests 'blacklisted' US national from Islamabad

Furthermore, Nisar has formed a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) — comprising Investigation Bureau (IB) and Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) officers — to probe the matter.

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