By News Karnataka
Copyright newskarnataka
Islamabad: Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has uncovered a human trafficking operation camouflaged as a football team, detaining 22 men after their failed attempt to enter Japan illegally.
The group, which departed from Sialkot, was deported immediately upon arrival in Japan when authorities identified their documents as fake.
Football disguise to dodge checks
According to FIA officials, the men had been “trained to act and behave like professional footballers” in order to pass immigration checks undetected. They carried forged registration papers allegedly issued by the Pakistan Football Federation and fabricated clearances from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
An FIA spokesperson noted that the case underscores how sporting identities are being exploited by trafficking networks to facilitate illegal migration.
Mastermind behind the racket
The investigation has centred on Malik Waqas, who allegedly established a bogus football club named Golden Football Trial to orchestrate the operation. He was arrested on 15 September.
Officials said Waqas charged each individual around PKR 4 million (approximately ₹12 lakh) for arranging their travel. During interrogation, he confessed to previously sending 17 men to Japan in January 2024 using the same fraudulent method.
Crackdown on illegal immigration
The FIA has now opened a wider probe into the racket, suspecting that Waqas had links with other agents operating within and outside Pakistan.
This case comes at a time when Pakistan has been intensifying measures against illegal migration. In November 2023, authorities launched a crackdown on undocumented migrants, including Afghan nationals, citing security concerns. The interior ministry estimates the country hosts over 4 million Afghan migrants and refugees, 1.7 million of them without legal documentation.
Sporting identities under scrutiny
The case has raised alarm over how sporting platforms are being misused for trafficking. “The individuals were carrying fake documents and posed as footballers to gain entry abroad,” the FIA spokesperson said.
Authorities said they are committed to tightening checks and working with international agencies to prevent such incidents.
