The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) detained former private‑bank branch manager Imran Sajid at Allama Iqbal International Airport in Lahore on Friday after he landed from the United Arab Emirates, accusing him of orchestrating a fraud scheme that siphoned roughly Rs 10 million from the bank’s clientele.
According to FIA officials, Sajid had already been declared a proclaimed offender and listed on the Passport Control List (PCL), a roster that obliges immigration authorities to detain any individual on arrival. The agency said the PCL designation triggered his immediate apprehension in the airport’s arrival hall.
The alleged fraud involves the misappropriation of customer deposits from a local private bank, where Sajid previously oversaw operations at a branch. Preliminary inquiries indicate that the diverted funds were transferred through a series of internal accounts before disappearing from the bank’s books, prompting a formal complaint from aggrieved account holders.
FIA spokespersons confirmed that the suspect is currently being processed at the agency’s Lahore headquarters and that formal charges will be filed shortly. They added that investigators are reviewing transaction records, bank ledgers, and communications to establish the full extent of the misconduct and to identify any co‑conspirators.
The case arrives at a time when Pakistan’s banking sector is under heightened scrutiny following a series of high‑profile financial scandals. Regulators have warned that unchecked fraud erodes public confidence and can exacerbate liquidity pressures on banks already navigating a challenging macro‑economic environment.
If convicted, Sajid could face several years of imprisonment, substantial fines, and the forfeiture of assets derived from the illicit activity, in line with the country's Prevention of Corruption Act and anti‑money‑laundering statutes. Victims of the scheme may also pursue civil recovery to reclaim their lost savings.
The arrest highlights the FIA’s increasing coordination with immigration authorities to curb the flight of financial offenders abroad. By acting swiftly at the point of entry, the agency aims to deter similar attempts to evade prosecution and to reinforce the message that large‑scale fraud will be pursued regardless of borders.