Islamabad: A bizarre human trafficking attempt has been foiled after Japanese authorities intercepted a group of 22 individuals from Pakistan posing as professional football players. The suspects, claiming affiliation with the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF), were promptly deported back to Pakistan following an intense investigation.
According to sources from Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), the group arrived in Japan equipped with counterfeit no-objection certificates (NOCs) allegedly issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Dressed in full football kits, the suspects attempted to portray themselves as legitimate athletes seeking opportunities abroad.
The scam came to light during routine checks and questioning by Japanese immigration officials, who quickly grew suspicious of inconsistencies in the documents and the group’s story. Geo News reported that Japanese authorities did not clarify how the suspects managed to board flights from Pakistan without raising alarms at the departure airports.
Investigations by the FIA have identified Malik Waqas, a native of Pasrur in Sialkot, as the ringleader behind the scheme. Waqas, who founded a fraudulent football club named Golden Football Trail, allegedly charged each candidate between Rs 4 million and Rs 4.5 million for the promised trip. He was arrested in Gujranwala on September 15, and authorities revealed that multiple cases are already registered against him.
Officials noted that this was not Waqas’ first attempt at exploiting aspiring athletes. In January last year, he orchestrated a similar scam, arranging for 17 individuals to travel to Japan using forged documents and fake invitations from Japanese club Boavista FC. Reports suggest none of those individuals have returned to Pakistan, raising questions about the previous operation’s outcome.
The case has spotlighted a disturbing trend in human trafficking schemes disguised as sports opportunities, prompting both Pakistani and Japanese authorities to tighten verification protocols.