Watch: FIA raids fake call centre in Islamabad, locals loot laptops, furniture

The FIA stated that the detained individuals are being transferred to the FIA office for further interrogation as the investigation continues.

A video of locals looting laptops and other gadgets from the fake call centre has gone viral on social media.

Pakistanis have Looted Call Centre operated by Chinese in Islamabad; Hundreds of Laptop, electronic components along with furniture and cutlery stolen during holy month of Ramadan pic.twitter.com/z6vjwBRRsq

— Megh Updates 🚨™ (@MeghUpdates) March 17, 2025

Meanwhile, the FIA has accused personnel from other law enforcement agencies (LEAs) of conducting unauthorised raids on call centers and extorting large bribes from their owners. According to a Dawn report, the FIA’s cybercrime wing in Lahore informed the agency’s top officer on Tuesday about several such incidents.

In a letter to the FIA leadership, the cybercrime wing stated that certain provincial LEA members have been impersonating FIA personnel during these raids, demanding bribes to release the call center staff. “It has been communicated verbally to the high command several times that certain provincial law enforcement agencies are raiding different call centers and introducing themselves as staff of FIA cyber crime, Lahore. It has also been highlighted that the members of such LEAs take heavy bribes from the call center owners to let them off the hook,” the letter stated, as reported by Dawn.

The letter further noted that despite raising the matter with the concerned LEA heads, no action has been taken. It warned that the situation has escalated to the point where relatives of those detained frequently approach the FIA cybercrime wing to inquire about their missing family members. The cybercrime wing urged the FIA leadership to address the issue at the highest level to prevent further complications.

The letter also requested that provincial LEA members be educated about the lawful jurisdiction of the FIA cybercrime wing to avoid unnecessary interference. “The matter should be given top priority,” the letter emphasised, according to the Dawn reports.

Separately, the FIA Lahore arrested two individuals, Talat Rizwan and Khurram Munir, for their involvement in a Rs4.6 million visa fraud. The suspects were apprehended in a raid at Bahria Orchard after allegedly taking money from two citizens under the pretence of securing visas for South Korea and Canada, Dawn reported.