But Pakistani officials assure us that that hasn’t happened. And we know how trustworthy they are. “Pakistan shamed by visa scandal,” by Stephen Moyes for The Sun, July 24 (thanks to S.B.):
PAKISTAN”S president yesterday ordered the arrest of criminals behind an Olympics visa racket exposed by The Sun.
A dozen passport officials have been suspended.
An aide said Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf and President Asif Ali Zardari were appalled after we exposed corrupt officials offering potential terrorists the chance to sneak into Britain with the Pakistan Olympic squad.
Rehman Malik added: “The visa scandal is shocking.
“President Zardari and Prime Minister Ashraf have asked me to arrest those responsible for defaming Pakistan. Those responsible will be punished accordingly.”
Embarrassed Pakistan officials also rang Downing Street yesterday to confirm they are doing all they can to find the gang ringleaders.
A dozen Pakistan passport officials were suspended yesterday and others were taken into custody.
Those suspended include the general manager of the Lahore passport office which arranged for an undercover Sun investigator to obtain bogus travel documents for £600.
And senior politician Abid Chodhary, who offered our man a UK visa plus a letter confirming he was part of Pakistan’s Olympic entourage for £7,000, has been banned from leaving the country.
The Dream Land travel agency in Lahore, whose staff put The Sun in touch with corrupt officials, was closed yesterday. Arrests are expected soon.
Mr Malik said he had personally contacted the British authorities to assure them no terrorists would be allowed to slip into London 2012.
Oh, well, that’s a relief!