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In what could be an attempt at human trafficking, 22 Pakistani nationals were carrying fake documents posing as football players of a fake team from Sialkot
Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency said 22 people posed as a football team and flew from Sialkot airport to Japan. (Image for representation: IMAGEN 4 ENGINE)
Amid the handshake row with India over cricket, Pakistan faced another embarrassing incident after Japan issued a warning to the country for allegedly sending over a “fake” football team.
According to sources, the fake football team was deported from Japan. In what could be an attempt at human trafficking, members of this team were carrying fake documents posing as football players of a fake team from Sialkot, they said. The Pakistani nationals were shamed in Japan for their alleged attempt to travel while posing as sportspersons, they added.
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The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) said a group of 22 people posed as a football team and flew from Sialkot airport to Japan. The Japanese authorities, however, found out that their documents were fake and, subsequently, deported them, it said.
The FIA identified the main suspect as Malik Waqas, who was arrested and a case registered against him at the Gujranwala police station. Investigators said Waqas had registered a football club named ‘Golden Football Trial’ and trained the group to act like players and charged each member Rs 4 million to facilitate their travel. A further investigation is on, they added.
Pakistan is already in the news for a tiff with India over cricket after a devastating loss in the ongoing Asia Cup. The strained political relations between the two countries spilled onto the cricket field when no handshakes were exchanged between players — before or after their game in Dubai.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said match referee Andy Pycroft of Zimbabwe requested both captains — Suryakumar Yadav of India and Salman Ali Agha of Pakistan — not to shake hands during the pre-game coin toss on September 14 (Sunday).
In a late-night statement — released in Urdu to domestic media — the PCB described Pycroft’s decision as “against sportsmanship” and said team manager Naveed Akram Cheema registered a “formal protest against the match referee’s behavior” with the International Cricket Council. The ICC is yet to issue a public response.
The cricket match was the first between the two teams since the Pahalgam attack in April, when gunmen opened fire on a group of tourists in Indian-controlled Kashmir. India is the designated host of the eight-nation Asia Cup, but the Twenty20 tournament is being played in the United Arab Emirates because the India and Pakistan cricket teams do not play on each other’s territory.
(With agency inputs)
About the Author
Group Editor, Investigations & Security Affairs, Network18
Group Editor, Investigations & Security Affairs, Network18
Islamabad, Pakistan
September 16, 2025, 21:22 IST
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