Iranian espionage, money laundering network busted in Karachi
A senior grade-19 government officer, Syed Wisal Haider Naqvi had been arrested who was working for an Iranian intelligence agency and involved in money laundering.
KARACHI: Pakistan intelligence agencies have arrested a senior grade-19 government officer who was working for an Iranian intelligence agency and involved in money laundering.
A senior grade-19 level government officer of the central bank’s subsidiary House Building Finance Company (HBFC) was arrested over accusations of money laundering & financing different groups in Pakistan, at the behest of the Iranian intelligence agency.
The arrested man was identified as Syed Wisal Haider Naqvi. He was arrested in a joint operation conducted by a federal intelligence agency and Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) economic crime wing.
The senior officer of the Sindh government was allegedly heading a money-laundering network to finance Iranian “assets” in Pakistan. Sources said that 13 members of the Iranian espionage network had already been arrested earlier in January.
Earlier in October last year, the Federal Investigation Agency had arrested 10 Iranian nationals for allegedly acquiring Pakistani identity documents in connivance with local officials and agents.
The intel agency’s spokesperson had said that raids were carried out in different parts of the metropolis in which the 10 arrests were made. It added the held Iranians had recently got Pakistani computerised national identity cards and they were planning to go to Qatar on Pakistani passports with the help of Pakistani and Iranian agents.
The statement had said the FIA’s Anti-Human Smuggling Circle set up three teams and acting on a tip-off they conducted the actions and rounded up the suspects.
Following the action, the FIA had started inquiries and investigations against senior officers and employees of the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra).
