FIA cracks down on illegal call centres in Islamabad, arrests 50 more foreigners

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has arrested 50 more foreign nationals during an ongoing crackdown on illegal call centres operating in Islamabad, officials said.

According to the FIA, the suspects were apprehended from a plaza located in a private housing society and subsequently shifted to jail.

The latest arrests come after 250 foreign nationals were previously transferred to Adiala and Attock jails.

Authorities have also begun deportation proceedings, with the first batch of 50 Vietnamese nationals already deported from Pakistan.

Meanwhile, the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) conducted three separate operations in Islamabad between August 13 and 21, detaining dozens of foreign nationals.

The detained individuals are being investigated over allegations of online fraud and blackmail targeting citizens living abroad, as well as allegedly obtaining financial gains through sexually explicit material.

Sources said the investigation being conducted by the FIA, NCCIA and Islamabad Police has now been expanded to include the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP).

Authorities have so far decided to place 671 foreign nationals arrested for allegedly operating illegal call centres on the foreign blacklist.

The process of informing the respective countries about the alleged criminal activities is also underway through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, sources said.