KARACHI: A local court in Karachi on Saturday granted bail to a woman accused of providing forged documents to IT workers in North Korea, in a case that has drawn attention to the alleged involvement of Pakistani nationals in international cyber activities.
The court approved the bail application of Aliya Batool, directing her to submit surety bonds worth Rs1 million. Batool was arrested by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on charges of preparing and supplying fake identity documents to North Korean IT professionals, who allegedly used them to secure remote work and access foreign financial systems.
According to the FIA, the case was registered on a complaint from Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. During the hearing, prosecutors alleged that Batool and her accomplices operated an online network that fabricated documents for North Korean workers, with payments processed through cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin. The FIA maintains that the scheme violated international sanctions imposed on North Korea over its nuclear and missile programs.
However, defense counsel argued that no incriminating evidence was found on Batool’s mobile phone, and that the prosecution had failed to provide concrete proof linking her to the alleged crimes. The court, after hearing arguments from both sides, decided to grant bail on the grounds of insufficient evidence at this stage.
The case also names two other suspects, Sohail and Sagheer, who remain under investigation. This development comes amid heightened global scrutiny of North Korea’s efforts to evade sanctions through illicit cyber activities and foreign labor. For more on North Korea’s cyber operations, see Wikipedia’s article on North Korea and cyberwarfare.
Pakistan’s role in combating cybercrime has been under the spotlight, with the FIA stepping up efforts to curb online fraud and document forgery. Read about Pakistan’s cybercrime laws on Reuters. For background on international sanctions against North Korea, refer to Al Jazeera’s coverage.
Source: ARY News