Mardan residents seek action over alleged Canada visa fraud

MARDAN: Residents of Par Hoti in Mardan have accused a local man of running a large-scale visa scam and appealed to authorities to take action, saying dozens of young people were deprived of millions of rupees through an alleged fake immigration scheme linked to Canada.

At a press conference held at the Mardan Press Club, Shehinshah, Wajid and other affected people alleged that Saleem, a resident of Par Hoti, presented himself as a specialist in overseas visas and immigration matters. They said he persuaded people by claiming he could arrange their travel to Canada and allegedly provided forged Canadian visas.

According to the complainants, the suspect used a fake email account to portray himself as being connected with the Canadian embassy and obtained large sums of money on that basis. They said he mainly approached young people hoping to find work abroad, offering assurances of quick visa processing, employment opportunities and permanent residency.

The affected residents said at least 50 people from Mardan district had been directly impacted, while the overall number of victims could be higher. They further alleged that the fraud involved millions of rupees and said the amount collected from Mardan residents alone might be more than Rs250 million.

One of the affected individuals said that many people, driven by hopes of securing a better future, sold their houses, property and agricultural land, only to later learn that the documents they had received were fake.

Complaints filed with FIA and police

The complainants said they had submitted a formal application to the Federal Investigation Agency in view of the seriousness of the allegations. According to them, the FIA office in Mardan subsequently issued notices to the suspect. However, they claimed that he had so far avoided arrest and was in hiding.

They added that written complaints had also been lodged with the local police.

The affected people further alleged that the suspect’s father and brother were also involved in the scheme and had a role in collecting money from members of the public.

They said the suspect operated an English language centre and a consultancy agency in Par Hoti. According to the complainants, the setup appeared to function under the cover of overseas education and employment services, but was in fact used as a front for the alleged fraud.

Appeal for legal action

The victims called on the federal interior minister, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government, the FIA and other relevant authorities to move immediately against the suspect and those they described as his accomplices. They demanded their arrest and sought recovery of the ‘looted’ money.

They also urged stricter oversight of immigration, recruitment and consultancy agencies in the future to help prevent similar incidents and protect citizens from fraud.