Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has detained 258 foreign nationals accused of operating an illegal call centre allegedly involved in a fake investment scam in Islamabad’s Gulberg Greens area.

According to an FIA official cited by AFP, the suspects were allegedly operating from Sparco Plaza, where investigators found what they described as a large call-centre setup. Most of those detained had reportedly entered Pakistan on tourist or visitor visas.

The detainees include 184 Vietnamese nationals, 41 Chinese nationals, 32 Indonesians and one Malaysian national, according to the FIA.

258 Foreigners Detained

The FIA’s operation targeted the alleged call centre at Sparco Plaza in Gulberg Greens, a housing society on the outskirts of Islamabad.

An FIA official said the foreign nationals had entered Pakistan on tourist visas and were not authorised to carry out the activities they were allegedly involved in.

The detainees were subsequently taken to a temporary detention facility in Rawalpindi. Their respective embassies have reportedly been informed about the arrests.

Earlier reports had put the number of Vietnamese nationals detained at 170, but the FIA’s latest figure cited in the report puts the number at 184.

How the Alleged Scam Worked

FIA Director General Usman Anwar said most of the suspects allegedly posed as women on mobile applications and online platforms to approach Pakistani citizens.

Investigators allege that the suspects first established relationships and gained the confidence of potential victims. They then allegedly introduced fake business and investment opportunities promising unusually high returns.

Victims were reportedly persuaded to transfer money after being offered lucrative investment prospects.

According to the FIA, the suspects allegedly stopped responding or disappeared after receiving money from the victims.

The agency said the premises contained a “huge call centre type business setup”, suggesting that the operation involved an organised network rather than isolated individuals.

FIR Registered Under Law

The FIA’s Anti-Human Trafficking Circle registered an FIR in connection with the case.

The case was registered under Section 14 of Pakistan’s Foreigners Act, 1946. The FIR, numbered FIR/AHTC-GL-581/28, was dated August 11, 2026, following the raid at Sparco Plaza.

Investigators subsequently checked the details of the detained foreign nationals against Pakistan’s Integrated Border Management System.

Officials said most of the suspects had entered Pakistan using visitor visas.

Sparco Plaza Made Temporary Jail

Following the arrests, the Chief Commissioner of Islamabad Capital Territory issued an order on August 11 designating Sparco Plaza as a temporary “Sub-Jail/Lock-Up” for the detained foreign nationals.

The order was issued under provisions of the Criminal Procedure Code and the Prisons Act, 1894.

Responsibility for securing the temporary detention facility and the people held there was assigned to the FIA’s Director General.

The unusual arrangement was made to accommodate the large number of foreign nationals detained during the operation.

Embassies Informed

The foreign nationals include people from four countries, with Vietnamese nationals forming the largest group.

The FIA has informed the respective embassies about the arrests, according to the report.

The development could also draw attention from the countries whose citizens have been detained, particularly given the large number of Chinese and Vietnamese nationals involved.

However, the specific roles allegedly played by individual detainees have not yet been established.

Investigation Underway

The FIA investigation remains ongoing. Authorities are examining the alleged operation, the identities and roles of those detained and the financial activities linked to the suspected call centre.

Investigators are also expected to determine how the alleged investment scheme operated, how potential victims were approached and whether additional people were involved.

The allegations against the detainees have not yet been individually established, and the investigation is continuing.

The case highlights the growing use of online platforms and social engineering techniques in alleged investment fraud, with investigators now focusing on establishing the full scale and structure of the operation.

 Pakistan has carried out fresh airstrikes in Balochistan amid a surge in attacks by the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) against Pakistani security forces, according to reports citing intelligence sources.

The latest escalation comes after the BLA claimed that its fighters had killed 32 Pakistani soldiers in attacks across the province this month.

According to sources cited by CNN-News18, Pakistani aircraft carried out strikes in areas including Surab and Gwadar. The sources claimed that at least 21 civilians, including women and children, were killed in the strikes. The casualty figures have not been independently verified.

BLA Launches Multiple Attacks

The reported Pakistani strikes came as the BLA carried out a series of attacks against security forces at multiple locations in Balochistan.

According to the reports, the group launched six attacks, primarily targeting police and military personnel.

In Chagai district, BLA members reportedly attacked and destroyed a police station in a midnight bombing, killing three security personnel.

Other reported attacks included an assault on a Pakistani military camp in Jhao, an attack on a security forces convoy along the Khuzdar RCD Highway, and an ambush targeting military vehicles in Wadh.

The group also reportedly attacked a security checkpoint in the Manguchar Bazaar area.

In Yakmach, BLA militants reportedly ambushed commercial vehicles and hijacked a truck.

Casualty figures from these overnight attacks were not immediately available.

Pakistan Reports Insurgent Casualties

Earlier on Wednesday, Pakistani authorities said security forces had killed 10 insurgents during clashes in Balochistan.

Authorities also reported a failed car-bombing attempt in which explosives detonated prematurely.

According to Pakistani officials, the incident killed at least 11 people, including eight people allegedly involved in preparing the explosives and three people inside a nearby house.

The incidents have added to growing concerns over a fresh escalation between Pakistani security forces and Baloch insurgent groups.

Civilian Casualties Reported

The latest airstrikes have also raised concerns over civilian casualties.

Sources cited in the reports said that strikes in Surab and Gwadar killed at least 21 civilians, including women and children.

The claims have not been independently confirmed, and there has been no comprehensive independent assessment of the reported civilian toll.

The competing claims over casualties come as both sides intensify military operations and attacks across the province.

Long-Running Baloch Insurgency

Balochistan has faced an armed insurgency for decades, with several Baloch nationalist groups demanding greater autonomy or independence from Pakistan.

The Baloch Liberation Army is among the most prominent armed groups involved in the conflict. It has carried out attacks against Pakistani military personnel, police, infrastructure and other targets.

Baloch nationalist groups argue that the region's integration into Pakistan was not voluntary and have accused Islamabad of political and economic exploitation.

Pakistan has rejected such claims and has consistently described the armed groups operating in the province as militant and terrorist organisations.

Resource-Rich but Poor Province

Balochistan is Pakistan's largest province by area and has significant reserves of natural resources.

Despite its mineral and energy wealth, it remains Pakistan's poorest province, with local communities frequently complaining that they have not benefited adequately from the region's resources.

Baloch activists have also alleged discrimination against the Baloch population and accused Pakistan's federal government and political establishment of exploiting the province's natural wealth.

Islamabad has maintained that development and security efforts are necessary to counter militancy and improve stability in the region.

Escalation Raises Regional Concerns

The latest cycle of BLA attacks and Pakistani military operations marks another escalation in the long-running Balochistan conflict.

With militant attacks continuing alongside air and ground operations by Pakistani security forces, concerns are growing over further civilian casualties and displacement.

The competing claims made by Pakistani authorities and the BLA are likely to remain difficult to independently verify, particularly in areas where access for journalists and independent observers is limited.

Further developments will depend on whether Pakistan expands its military campaign and whether the BLA continues its attacks against security and military targets across the province.

Islamabad says its stance on the Middle East issue remains non-negotiable despite fresh calls from Washington linking normalisation to regional peace talks.

In a sharp diplomatic pushback, Pakistan has firmly rejected US President Donald Trump’s latest appeal to normalise relations with Israel by joining the Abraham Accords. Defending the country’s traditional foreign policy, Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif stated that Islamabad cannot compromise on its foundational principles for short-term strategic gains.

The developments unfolded on Monday after Trump outlined a major diplomatic push on social media, linking ongoing US-Iran peace negotiations to a broader Middle East settlement. In a lengthy public statement, Trump explicitly named Pakistan alongside heavyweights like Saudi Arabia and Turkiye, urging them to simultaneously sign the accords to secure a wider regional alignment.

Reacting swiftly to the proposal during a late-night television interview, Asif made it clear that joining such an arrangement is out of the question. “Personally, I don't think we should join any such accord that clashes with our fundamental ideologies,” the Defence Minister told Samaa TV.

Core ideology non-negotiable

The strongly worded rejection from Islamabad underlines the domestic and political sensitivities that govern Pakistan’s approach to the Middle East. Officials in the foreign ministry indicated that the state's official position has remained consistent for the past 78 years, anchoring any potential recognition of Israel to the creation of an independent Palestinian state based on pre-1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.

Asif also took aim at the diplomatic credibility of the Israeli leadership, questioning how any sovereign nation could engage in structured negotiations under the current global climate. “How will you sit down with those people whose word cannot be trusted even for a single day?” he asked, highlighting deep-seated skepticism over ongoing ceasefire violations in Gaza.

Passport policy stands out

To drive home the point, the Defence Minister pointed toward a unique domestic legal barrier that defines the state’s absolute isolation from Tel Aviv. He reminded the public that the country’s travel documents are intentionally designed to restrict access, calling it an institutional proof of Pakistan's refusal to recognise Israel.

“On our passports, we are the only country whose passports don't even include Israel's name,” Asif noted, referencing the explicit inscription stating the document is valid for all countries except Israel.

Trump’s wider alliance blueprint

The push from Washington appears to be part of a broader, unconventional blueprint curated by the Trump administration to establish a massive US-backed alliance in West Asia. According to diplomatic sources, Trump is attempting to capitalise on the current momentum of negotiations with Iran to pull multiple Muslim-majority states into the Abraham Accords framework.

Trump described the ongoing talks with Tehran as "proceeding nicely" but added a stark warning that failure to secure an all-encompassing deal would mean a return to active hostilities. He argued that the 2020 accords, which initially brought the UAE, Bahrain, and Morocco into formal diplomatic terms with Israel, have triggered an economic and social boom that other regional players should look to replicate.

Economic and domestic tightrope

For the current ruling coalition in Islamabad, balancing Washington's expectations against severe domestic pushback remains an incredibly delicate tightrope walk. Observers note that while Pakistan relies heavily on international financial systems and trade ties with the West, any overt softening towards Israel carries extreme domestic political risks capable of triggering widespread public unrest.

Furthermore, the situation is complicated by the evolving stances of major Gulf monarchies. With key regional allies like Saudi Arabia also being intensely courted by the US for normalisation pacts, Islamabad faces the challenging prospect of maintaining its traditional stance while navigating its deep economic dependency on financial assistance and remittances from the Gulf region.

No policy shift ahead

Despite the mounting pressure, senior officials in Islamabad insist that participation in multilateral humanitarian forums should not be misconstrued as a diplomatic shift. Earlier this year, when questions were raised regarding Pakistani representatives attending a Gaza-related peace board meeting, the Foreign Ministry had issued a similar clarification denying any backchannel movement toward the Abraham Accords.

For now, the government maintains that its position remains absolute, leaving little room for the diplomatic expansion Trump envisioned in his latest regional peace outline.

US-Iran Talks End Without Agreement in Islamabad

Vance confirms stalemate after 21 hours; Iranian delegation departs Pakistan

The much-anticipated peace talks between the United States and Iran concluded without a breakthrough early Sunday, with US Vice President JD Vance announcing that the two sides failed to reach an agreement after 21 hours of intense negotiations.

Delegations Depart

Vance addressed the press in Islamabad before departing on Air Force Two, confirming that the US delegation was leaving Pakistan. Iran’s parliamentary delegation, led by Speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf, also exited the Pakistani capital hours later. According to officials familiar with the matter, the next round of talks remains uncertain.

No Agreement on Nuclear Demands

“We have been at it now for 21 hours. The bad news is that we have not reached an agreement,” Vance told reporters. He stated that Washington had presented its “final and best offer,” but Tehran had not accepted US terms. The primary sticking point, officials indicated, remains Iran’s nuclear programme. Vance clarified the US position: “We need to see an affirmative commitment that they will not seek a nuclear weapon.”

Iran Cites US ‘Overreach’

Iranian state media, including Tasnim news agency, blamed Washington for the stalemate, citing “US overreach and ambitions.” However, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei struck a slightly different tone, confirming that understanding had been reached on several issues, though “differences still remain on 2–3 key matters.” He added that no one realistically expected a final deal in a single meeting given the deep distrust.

Global Reaction and Saudi Restoration

The failure drew a swift international response. UK Health Secretary Wes Streeting expressed disappointment, while Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong urged both sides to “return to negotiations” and uphold the existing ceasefire.

In a parallel development, Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Energy announced the full restoration of two major energy sites. Officials confirmed that full pumping capacity through the East-West Pipeline, amounting to seven million barrels per day, has returned. Production has also resumed at the Manifa oilfield.

What Next for the Region?

With the diplomatic path stalled, tensions are rising. President Donald Trump shared an article suggesting a possible maritime blockade on Iran, a move that could impact nations dependent on Iranian oil, including India and China. Meanwhile, Israeli strikes continued on southern Lebanon, with Lebanese state media reporting multiple casualties near Tyre. As one English news portal India noted, the Strait of Hormuz has emerged as a new strategic flashpoint. For now, the world waits to see if the ceasefire holds or if the region slides back into wider conflict.