August 13, 2026
By Hafizullah Storai Sherani
ISLAMABAD
An Islamabad District and Sessions’ Court on Thursday remanded nearly 400 foreign nationals to judicial custody following joint operations conducted by the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) and the Anti-Human Trafficking Circle (AHTC) of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).
According to FIA sources, owing to security concerns, the sensitivity of the case, and the unusually large number of detainees, the suspects were produced before Judicial Magistrate Naseer Uddin via video link instead of being physically presented in court. The court ordered all accused to be sent to jail on judicial remand after the investigating authorities refrained from seeking further physical custody.
Details from the FIA Zonal Office, the NCCIA, official investigation records, and the FIR (Istighasa report) revealed that the Gulberg Greens area of the federal capital had allegedly turned into a hub for foreigners engaging in unauthorized activities. The suspects citizens of China, Vietnam, Indonesia, among other countries had entered Pakistan on visit, tourist, and business visas.
Sources in the FIA Anti-Human Trafficking Circle stated: “On August 11, 2026, a credible informant reported that around 200 to 300 foreign nationals were residing within Islamabad’s jurisdiction and engaging in illegal employment and commercial ventures in violation of their visa conditions. Upon approval from the competent authority, a raiding team searched SPARCO Plaza in Gulberg Greens, apprehending 258 foreign nationals on the spot.”
In documents submitted to the court, FIA officials stated that a digital scrutiny of the suspects’ passports and credentials was conducted via the Integrated Border Management System (IBMS). The verification revealed that while the detainees arrived on visit, tourist, and business visas, they were operating a large-scale call center facility inside the building, running commercial activities inconsistent with their visa terms.
The FIA registered a formal case under Section 14 of the Foreigners Act, 1946, attaching a complete list containing the names, nationalities, passport numbers, and visa categories of all 258 suspects. In a parallel action, the NCCIA booked suspects under Sections 13, 14, and 16 of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) 2016, alongside Sections 420, 468, 471, and 34 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) for cyber fraud and forgery.
Following the court order, overcrowding concerns, and security imperatives, the Office of the Chief Commissioner, Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), issued an official notification declaring SPARCO Plaza, Gulberg Greens, as a Sub-Jail/Lock-Up under the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1860, following a written request from the District Magistrate.
The notification specifies that the overall security of the facility and its inmates rests with the Director General of the FIA. Speaking on condition of anonymity, a senior FIA officer added that an officer not below Grade 17 (BPS-17) will be designated to oversee all administrative, legal, and custodial records at the sub-jail.