ISLAMABAD: The Federal Investigation Agency claimed to have obtained “irrefutable evidence” against Jerry International, a visa processing service provider for 18 countries including the United Kingdom and Schengen, for ‘alleged involvement’ in issuing fake Corona certificates.
According to Deputy Director of Anti-Corruption Circle of the Federal Investigation Agency, Afzal Khan Niazi, Jerry International CEO Afzal Wali Muhammad and Manager Muhammad Nasir had been summoned for investigation into the charges.
The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) documents revealed that Jerry International Manager Muhammad Nasir failed to satisfy the agency during the course of investigation and remained unable to respond and explain as to “how these fake Corona certificates were provided.”
He, however, successfully satisfied the FIA investigators that the Jerry International was duly registered with and was in possession of NoC from the Ministry of Health regarding the Corona Certificate. Similarly, Muhammad Khan Nasir could respond to the FIA question as to “how Jerry International staff made and issued corona certificates to the passengers.”
It is important to mention that Jerry International is the only visa processing provider in Pakistan for 18 other countries including UK and Shenzhen.
The FIA initiated the investigation following an application submitted by a passenger, Mohammad Haroon, who claimed that Jerry International had issued fake corona certificates to him and his colleagues, which later the airline declared fake, causing serious damage to them.
Earlier, through the call-up notice, issued by the Deputy Director of Anti-Corruption Circle of the Federal Investigation Agency, Afzal Khan Niazi, the manager Muhammad Nasir and the CEO Afzal Wali Muhammad were summoned for investigation. Both the officials of the visa service provider were asked to appear before the authority and explain “under which authority Jerry International issued corona certificates.”
In the second question of the notice, they were asked from “which laboratory Jerry obtained the corona certificates and how many Covid certificates were issued thus far.”
Through the notice, CEO Afzal Wali Muhammad and Muhammad Nasir Khan were asked that if there was any certificate of Jerry International with the Ministry of Health, they should also bring it, while if there is any report of the laboratory inspection done by the Ministry of Health bring them along too.
When contact for comment, Country Manager of Jerry International Muhammad Nasir denied all the allegations. CEO Afzal Wali Muhammad, however, when contacted, said that “he is out of the country and is unable to comment on this matter.”
- – Story by Shahzad Malik
