17.9.2025
Japanese immigration authorities have deported members of a Pakistan Football Team, that was involved in human trafficking.
Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) said on Wednesday that a human trafficking network was involved in sending a 22-member fake football team to Japan
It was gathered that each of the 22 players paid about $16,000 to get on team and were given football identity, which claimed to register them with the Pakistan Football Federation. They also claimed to have scheduled matches with a Japanese club.
“The 22-member fake football team, which managed to get a 15-day visa, reached Japan in June 2025. However, it was deported by the Japanese immigration authorities from the airport, and the matter was then reported to the FIA,” it said.
The FIA launched an investigation into the matter, and on Tuesday, it arrested a prime suspect, Waqas Ali, a member of the human trafficking gang involved in the incident.
During the investigation, the suspect revealed that his network also managed to send 17 people to Japan in 2024, showing them as members of the Pakistan Football Team who never returned.
The suspect revealed that forged letters from the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, were used for the purpose.
Busted...members of a fake Pakistani football team.