International association Andersen Global expands presence in Pakistan with ‘Bridge Factor’

The undated file photo shows the logo of Andersen Global displayed on a building. (Shutterstock)
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Updated 26 August 2025
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International association Andersen Global expands presence in Pakistan with ‘Bridge Factor’

  • Anderson Global is an international association of firms featuring tax, legal, and valuation professionals
  • Bridge Factor firm’s expertise spans power, sustainable energy, banking, finance and infrastructure sectors

SAN FRANCISCO: Andersen Global has added transaction advisory capabilities in Central Asia through a collaboration agreement with Bridge Factor, headquartered in Pakistan.

Bridge Factor is a financial advisory firm specializing in capital raising, mergers and acquisitions, project finance, restructuring, and valuation. Operating for more than two decades, the firm’s sector expertise spans power and sustainable energy, banking and finance, infrastructure, telecom, transportation, and manufacturing, serving a client base of investors, multinationals, and government entities across Pakistan, the Middle East, Europe, and Asia.

“We work with purpose and precision to deliver clear, actionable results in complex financial environments,” said Akbar Bilgrami, CEO of Bridge Factor. 

“Our team has built a reputation for excellence by guiding clients through some of the most challenging and transformative financial transactions. Our collaboration with Andersen Global marks a significant milestone in our journey, expanding our reach and enhancing our ability to support clients navigating high stakes.”

“Expanding our transactional capabilities is a priority as we continue to build a seamless, integrated platform that delivers best-in-class advisory services to clients worldwide,” said Mark L. Vorsatz, global chairman and CEO of Andersen.

 “Bridge Factor brings the deep experience, discipline, and market relationships essential to navigating the complex financial landscapes of the region. Their exceptional track record in executing high-value corporate finance engagements, combined with their sectoral expertise, enhances our ability to deliver strategic solutions to clients.”

Andersen Global is an international association of legally separate, independent member firms comprised of tax, legal, and valuation professionals around the world. 

Established in 2013 by US member firm Andersen Tax LLC, Andersen Global now has more than 20,000 professionals worldwide and a presence in over 500 locations through its member firms and collaborating firms.


Pakistan arrests suspect arriving from Cambodia amid crackdown on human smuggling

Updated 14 December 2025
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Pakistan arrests suspect arriving from Cambodia amid crackdown on human smuggling

  • Suspect worked at an “online fraud company” in Cambodia, later started smuggling people from Pakistan, says FIA
  • Pakistan has intensified crackdown against human smugglers after hundreds of migrants drowned near Pylos in 2023

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Sunday said it had arrested a key suspect involved in smuggling humans who had arrived from Cambodia, alleging he was also part of an international fraud network. 

The suspect, identified as Zainullah, was arrested by FIA officials when he arrived in the southern port city of Karachi from Cambodia. 

Zainullah had traveled from Pakistan to Cambodia in September 2024, a press release issued by the agency said. 

“He worked at an online fraud company in Cambodia and later became involved as an agent in recruiting individuals from Pakistan,” the FIA said. 

The FIA said it recovered images of multiple individuals’ passports, payment receipts and bank transaction records after extracting data from Zainullah’s phone. 

It said the suspect received money through personal bank accounts and a cryptocurrency account.

“The suspect has been handed over to the FIA Anti-Human Trafficking Circle, Karachi, for further legal proceedings,” the FIA said. 

“Further investigation is underway.”

Pakistan intensified action against illegal migration in 2023 after hundreds of migrants, including 262 Pakistanis, drowned when an overcrowded vessel sank off the Greek town of Pylos, one of the deadliest boat disasters in the Mediterranean. 

Authorities say they continue to target networks sending citizens abroad through dangerous routes, following heightened scrutiny at airports and a series of arrests involving forged documents.

Pakistan’s interior ministry said this week illegal migration to Europe has declined by 47 percent this year after its nationwide crackdown, saying that more than 1,700 human smugglers have been arrested in 2025.