According to multiple sources, dozens of young men over the past two years have paid large sums for what they believed were legitimate work visas for Turkey. Instead, many were drawn into high-risk land and sea crossings toward Europe, with several arrested during attempted border crossings and others facing dangerous journeys.
Initial findings indicate that the network is more extensive than previously assumed. It involves registered Overseas Employment Promoters (OEPs), delegations from Turkish recruitment agencies, and a chain of local agents operating illegally across the merged tribal districts. The operation is coordinated mainly from Rawalpindi, where representatives of Turkish firms regularly conduct what sources describe as nominal or staged tests for unskilled labour positions. These assessments are followed by minimal paperwork before applicants are issued work permit visas.
Victims typically travel through major airports in Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad. Once in Turkey, many discover that the promised jobs do not exist and are instead introduced to facilitators who attempt to push them toward irregular migration routes into Europe.
Sources say traffickers charge two to three times the actual cost of a Turkish work visa, with applicants paying up to Rs1.6 million. Much of this amount is collected by local agents operating in the tribal belt. Investigators have learned that agents often fabricate job openings—such as butchers, factory workers, truck drivers, or dumper operators—to secure visa approvals. Some victims work briefly in Turkish factories before being contacted by European facilitators who offer to help them cross into Bulgaria, Greece, or other borders for additional fees.
Authorities confirm that several applicants have been arrested in Turkey for attempting irregular crossings. This year alone, at least 16 young men from Landikotal in District Khyber were detained while trying to cross into Bulgaria. Despite these arrests, others are believed to have reached Europe through similar channels.
Sources also report long delays even after visas are issued. In some cases, Turkish companies reportedly close job offers before applicants arrive, leaving visa holders with expired or near-expired permits and no employment. Many then feel compelled to attempt irregular migration to avoid financial losses.
Investigators have also traced violations to several Technical Trade and Test Centres in Punjab and K-P. These centres, which are authorised only for training and skill testing, have been advertising Turkish work permits on social media and linking applicants to agents and foreign recruiters. A detailed audit of their financial records, sources say, would likely reveal extensive irregularities.
An official of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), speaking on condition of anonymity, said the agency is probing multiple fraudulent visa cases. “There is a Risk Assessment Unit in place, and if an officer suspects that a passenger’s documentation or purpose of travel is not genuine, their details are uploaded for further action,” the official said.
He warned that some agents are issuing Turkish and other foreign visas illegally and charging excessive fees. “The FIA is exposing such travel agents. People must remain aware and avoid falling victim to these scammers,” he added.