Vietnamese citizens detained in Pakistan scam center raid: ministry
Vietnam's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has confirmed that several Vietnamese citizens were detained in Pakistan as authorities there cracked down on a suspected scam call center.
On August 20, the Vietnamese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Pham Thu Hang, addressed the recent detention of more than 230 individuals by Pakistani authorities in Islamabad. This included 170 Vietnamese nationals, according to information provided by the Vietnamese Embassy in Pakistan. The detained individuals are suspected of violating residency and labor regulations, the spokesperson explained.
The Vietnamese Embassy in Pakistan is collaborating with local authorities to verify the details, ascertain the identities of those detained, and ensure appropriate consular protection measures are taken. The Foreign Ministry has directed the embassy to continue coordinating with local authorities and to closely monitor the case, ensuring the security and safety of the detained Vietnamese citizens are upheld.
The embassy is also working with relevant agencies in Vietnam to confirm the identities of those detained and provide additional consular assistance.
Pakistani authorities conducted a raid on a suspected scam call center in Islamabad earlier this week, resulting in the arrest of 258 foreigners, including 40 Chinese nationals. These individuals were residing in a Gulberg Green housing society on the outskirts of Islamabad. They were allegedly operating a scam call center and were not authorized to engage in such activities, a statement from an official of the Federal Investigation Agency, a Pakistani intelligence service, conveyed to AFP.
A similar operation took place in July 2025, resulting in the arrest of 149 individuals, comprising 71 foreigners, primarily Chinese, on allegations of involvement in a large call center facilitating Ponzi schemes and investment fraud, as reported by AFP.
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