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.