Pakistan 'fake football team' deported from Japan in human trafficking scam

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Pakistan has been hit by fresh embarrassment after Japanese authorities deported a group of 22 men posing as a football team, amid allegations of a human trafficking operation.

According to Pakistan's Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), the men claimed to be part of a Sialkot-based club but were later exposed as carrying forged documents.

Officials in Japan raised immediate suspicions about the group's credentials before ordering their deportation.

The so-called squad had travelled under the banner of a fictitious club named "Golden Football Trial", set up by Malik Waqas, a suspected human trafficker.

Waqas allegedly charged Rs 4 million per person to send individuals abroad under the guise of professional footballers.

Fake Papers and Bogus Credentials

Investigators say Waqas arranged counterfeit Pakistan Football Federation registrations as well as fake documents purportedly from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The men were reportedly coached to act like footballers in an effort to pass immigration checks.

However, Japanese officials quickly spotted irregularities and uncovered the scam.

A PIA spokesperson confirmed that the group had no genuine links to any registered football clubs in Pakistan.

Repeat Scam Uncovered

During questioning by the FIA, Waqas admitted to previously sending 17 individuals to Japan in January 2024 using the same fraudulent scheme.

Authorities have since launched a wider investigation into possible links to organised human trafficking networks.

National Embarrassment

The case has drawn sharp criticism online, with many Pakistani fans expressing anger at the humiliation it has brought to the country's sporting reputation.

Football in Pakistan has long suffered from governance issues, and this latest scandal has further damaged the credibility of the game.

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