Pakistani National Running Nonexistent NGO Now Faces Human Trafficking Allegations

A Pakistani national who has lived in Kenya for nearly three decades is fighting deportation after authorities discovered his charity organization may not exist at the address he provided, raising serious questions about his activities involving vulnerable trafficking victims.

Nadeem Khan Shakoor, founder of the Blue Heart International Organisation (BHIO), has been battling the Kenyan Immigration Department since 2022 when officials refused to renew his Class I work permit for charitable activities.

What began as a routine permit renewal has evolved into a complex case involving allegations of deception and concerns about the legitimacy of his operations.

The controversy deepened when immigration officials conducted a site visit to verify BHIO’s physical location.

According to court documents, the Immigration Regional Director could not locate the four-story building behind Fairdeal Towers in Kongowea, Mombasa, as claimed by Shakoor’s representatives.

This discovery has cast doubt on the entire operation of an organization that purportedly assists victims of human trafficking, gender-based violence, and child abuse.

The case took another troubling turn when the Permit Determination Committee requested confidential information about victims BHIO had allegedly assisted over the past two years.

Shakoor refused to provide this sensitive data, claiming it would breach victim confidentiality. However, immigration authorities viewed this refusal as part of a broader pattern of non-cooperation and lack of transparency.

Further raising suspicions, when Shakoor failed to attend critical committee meetings in June 2022, citing illness, he sent representatives who presented business cards from unrelated organizations.

These representatives appeared unfamiliar with basic details about BHIO, including its funding sources, registered office location, and staff salary arrangements, according to immigration official Christine Kinyua.

The immigration committee ultimately concluded that BHIO’s work in trafficking cases, prosecution support, and child protection fell within the law enforcement sector, which is restricted for foreign nationals in Kenya.

This classification, combined with the organization’s inability to verify its physical existence and the suspicious behavior of its representatives, led to the permit denial.

Shakoor, who has been in Kenya since 1997 with his family, maintains his innocence and claims he has collaborated with Kenyan authorities and international agencies like Interpol.

He argues that he has received commendations for his work and has built a legitimate expectation to continue operating after nearly 30 years in the country.

However, the High Court declined to intervene in the case, with Justice John Chigiti ruling that the court lacked jurisdiction since Shakoor filed his challenge well after the six-month deadline.

The judge refused to bar the government from removing Shakoor or to overturn the immigration decision.

The case highlights broader concerns about the oversight of non-governmental organizations operating in Kenya, particularly those claiming to work with vulnerable populations.

The inability to verify BHIO’s physical existence, combined with the evasive responses from its representatives, has raised questions about whether the organization was ever genuinely operational or if it served as a front for other activities.

As Shakoor faces potential deportation, the case serves as a cautionary tale about the importance of transparency and accountability in the charitable sector, especially when dealing with sensitive issues like human trafficking where victim safety and confidentiality are paramount.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​