KARACHI: Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi ordered a “comprehensive crackdown” against money launderers and human smugglers, his ministry said on Sunday amid Islamabad’s efforts to curb financial corruption and illegal migration. 

The directives from Naqi came as he visited the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Karachi Zone and held a special meeting to review the institution’s performance. 

‎“Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi ordered a comprehensive crackdown against the money-laundering mafia and directed that major money launderers be dealt with firmly,” the ministry said. 

“He instructed that the entire money trail of those involved in money laundering be exposed.”

Since August 2025, the FIA has been targeting illegal currency dealers, including operators of hundi and hawala, informal money transfer systems that operate outside official banking channels. The government launched the crackdown after concerns over a sharp decline in the value of the rupee, which fell to a 22-month low against the US dollar in August.

While commonly used for remittances, informal money transfer systems are also prone to abuse for money laundering and terror financing.

Naqvi also ordered effective action against agent mafias involved in human smuggling, his ministry said. He said elements who deceive innocent people with false promises of employment abroad do not deserve any leniency. 

The minister said that the shortage of human resources in the FIA Karachi Zone would be addressed on a priority basis.

During the briefing, the minister was told that over the past four months, 20 agents involved in human smuggling have been arrested, and non-custom-paid goods and drugs worth Rs140 million [$500,173] have been seized.

“The interior minister sought performance reports from in-charge officers regarding their respective circles and directed them to work with greater diligence,” the statement said.