Visa scam busting reporter will be brought to Pakistan for trial, insists Rehman Malik

Islamabad, Aug 1 (ANI): Interior Minister Rehman Malik has said Ali Asad, the central character in the London Olympic 'visa scam', would be brought to Pakistan with the assistance of Interpol.

The Dawn quoted Malik, as saying that details pertaining to Asad's passport would soon be shared with the public, and that whoever will be found guilty in the scam, will be punished.

Moreover, he said that Pakistani authorities were alert and ready for the proceedings of the case.

Malik said a Pakistani investigation team would soon be sent to London for further investigation into the matter.

Earlier in the week, the Federal Investigative Authority (FIA) had declared Asad as the main accused in the case and decided to contact the Interpol for Red Warrants against him.

The Pakistan Government had registered a case against Asad for fraud, impersonation and mis-declaration, and is seeing his deportation from the United Kingdom.

The scandal came to the fore after the British tabloid 'The Sun' published a report of a scam involving fake documents for travel to London, allegedly in connection with Pakistan's Olympic contingent.

Last week, the Pakistan Cabinet had announced it would sue The Sun for the "fabricated" story, alleging that a group of travel agents and a politician were involved in the scam, which allowed anyone to travel with the Pakistani Olympic contingent as support staff if they paid a certain amount of money.

However, an investigation conducted by the National Database Registration Authority (NADRA) dismissed the claims and called its report a "fake scam". (ANI)