KARACHI: Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has foiled a bid to smuggle more than 30 women out of the country and arrested four suspects in the southern Pakistani city of Karachi, the agency said on Tuesday.
The development comes amid an ongoing crackdown on illegal immigration and human smuggling in Pakistan, following several boat tragedies and the arrest of individuals with forged documents at various airports.
The FIA said it raided two hotels near the passport office in Karachi’s Saddar area following a tip-off and arrested four suspected human traffickers and agents along with the women who were being smuggled.
“During the action, 33 women belonging to different districts of Punjab were detained,” the agency said in a statement. “Initial investigation revealed that the women were being sent to the United Arab Emirates on the pretext of visit visas.”
The suspected human smugglers and agents were identified as Zia-ul-Haq, Imtiaz Ali, Farman Ali and Sakina Bibi, according to the FIA.
“The plan was to use women for prostitution and sexual exploitation,” it said, adding that passports and other related documents were also recovered during the raid.
The FIA said three cases were registered against the suspects under the Prevention of Trafficking in Persons Act 2018 and further investigation was underway.
Last July, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the government was cracking down on organized networks involved in illegal immigration and human smuggling, urging the public to use safe, legal channels for travel, employment and immigration abroad.
Pakistani authorities have repeatedly urged citizens not to undertake such journeys, while international agencies warn that smugglers continue to exploit economic hardship and conflict to lure people.
