Pak-linked firm behind 'spy' YouTuber's trips partnered with Azerbaijan two days ago
An investigation into YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra's arrest for allegedly spying for Pakistan has revealed that her trips were frequently sponsored by Wego, a UAE-based travel company that operates in Pakistan and recently partnered with the Azerbaijan Tourism Board.Azerbaijan has publicly supported Pakistan and condemned India's recent military strikes on terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). These strikes, part of 'Operation Sindoor', were launched on May 7 in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 civilian lives.advertisementThe 33-year-old Haryana-based travel vlogger Jyoti Malhotra, currently in the custody of Haryana Police, is among 11 individuals arrested over the past two weeks from Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh on suspicion of espionage. Investigators suspect the existence of a Pakistan-linked spy network operating in North India.
Jyoti, who runs the YouTube channel 'Travel with JO', has around 4 lakh subscribers and 1.32 lakh followers on Instagram. Jyoti Malhotra has been seen promoting the Wego app in one of her YouTube videos. Police sources said all her sponsors are currently under scrutiny.While there is no direct evidence linking Wego to espionage or funding from Pakistan, its operations in the country have raised concerns in the context of this case.WEGO AND AZERBAIJAN DEALJust two days ago, Wego announced a partnership with the Azerbaijan Tourism Board to promote the country as an all-season destination for culture-driven, wellness-seeking travellers from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.
lorian Sengstschmid, CEO of the Azerbaijan Tourism Board and Mamoun Hmidan, Chief Business Officer at Wego.
advertisement"Through this collaboration, we aim to bring a fresh narrative to light and guide our users to discover the rich, untapped potential of Azerbaijan across all seasons," said Mamoun Hmidan, Chief Business Officer at Wego.MORE ABOUT WEGOFounded in 2005 under the name Bezurk, Wego is headquartered in Singapore and maintains regional offices in Dubai, Bengaluru, and Jakarta. It is a travel metasearch engine designed to help users in the Asia Pacific and MENA regions compare prices across airlines, hotels, and online travel agencies.Wego rebranded in 2008, and its website states: "We're on a mission to help people discover the real value of travel. So ingrained is this idea of the human need to travel that we've woven this emotional and eternal question of 'why we go?' into the name of our organisation - Wego."In Pakistan, Wego operates with a valid travel agency license from the Department of Tourist Services and is accredited by the International Air Transport Association (IATA). Its "Book on Wego" feature enables Pakistani travellers to book flights and hotels directly through its platform.Tune InTrending Reel
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