KARACHI: Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) said on Tuesday it had arrested 14 people, including an Iranian citizen, during raids near the southwestern coastal town of Jiwani for attempting to cross the border illegally.

The arrests follow a series of recent FIA operations aimed at curbing human smuggling. On Saturday, the agency said it had detained 84 people in two separate operations while they were trying to cross into Iran by sea.

The government has tightened overland travel restrictions to Iran this year amid security concerns in Balochistan, where the volatile border province abuts Iran’s Sistan-Baluchistan region.

“FIA Composite Circle Gwadar undertook raids, arresting 14 suspects in all,” the agency said in an official statement. “Among those arrested, three were from Gujranwala, three from Mandi Bahauddin, four from Sanghar and three from Sheikhupura. Nine of the suspects had attempted to illegally travel to Iran by sea.”

“Another five people involved in illegally entering Pakistan were also taken into custody,” it added. “The group of illegal entrants included an Iranian citizen.”

The arrests come amid a broader government push against human smuggling, which has led to a series of deadly boat tragedies over the past two years. These included shipwrecks off Greece in mid-2023, a December 2024 disaster near

Greece’s coast, a January 2025 sinking off Morocco and two separate capsizings off Libya in early and mid-2025.

On the Iranian side, authorities have also ramped up action against undocumented people, fueled in part by security concerns tied to their military conflict with Israel. Tehran has cited espionage risks and militant infiltration, particularly in the restive Sistan-Baluchistan province.

FIA said all suspects trying to leave Pakistan were planning to travel onward from Iran to other countries illegally.

It added that cases had been registered against those arrested, and more detailed investigations were now underway.