Rs1.6m recovered: FIA arrests consultancy CEO in UK student visa fraud case

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Islamabad Zone has arrested the CEO of IEIS Consultants from Bahria Town Phase 7 in a UK student visa fraud case and recovered the complainant’s full amount of Rs 1.6 million.

An FIA official told APP on Sunday that the Anti-Human Trafficking Circle (AHTC) Islamabad arrested the main accused, identified as Wasil Azad, CEO/owner of IEIS Consultants Islamabad, after registration of FIR No AHTC-ICT-753/26.

According to the investigation, the accused, along with Salman and Zulqarnain, both directors, and a visa consultant identified as Sadia, allegedly handled the UK student visa case of complainant Muhammad Zahid’s wife through fraudulent means.

The official said that on the suspects’ instructions, £4,000 was deposited in May 2025 through the online payment link of Teesside University, UK. However, the required visa application and documents were allegedly not submitted within the prescribed deadline.

As a result, the woman could not travel to the UK for her studies and the £4,000 payment was also lost, the official said.

The investigation further found that when the complainant repeatedly demanded the return of his money, he was allegedly threatened, while the suspects also failed to appear despite being summoned.

The FIA registered the case under Sections 18 and 22 of the Emigration Ordinance, 1979, read with Sections 420, 506 and 109 of the Pakistan Penal Code.

The official said the role of the other named suspects — Salman, Zulqarnain and Sadia — would be determined during further investigation.

The operation was carried out on the directions and under the supervision of the Director FIA Islamabad Zone, while Inspector Muhammad Abdullah Kiani, SHO AHTC Islamabad, is investigating the case.