ISLAMABAD: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) said on Sunday it has arrested a suspected human smuggler who was allegedly part of a network that collected money from families of Pakistani citizens who recently went missing in Iran, as Islamabad intensifies its crackdown against illegal migration in the country.
Thousands of Pakistanis often undertake illegal and risky journeys across the sea to Europe every year for a better standard of living. According to an FIA report on human smuggling released in 2020, Iran and Türkiye serve as transit countries where a network of migrant smugglers actively operate, with their agents in Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province and other parts of the country. The report said migrant smugglers use land routes from Pakistan to smuggle people to Iran, Türkiye and then Greece.
The FIA launched an investigation into the alleged disappearance of 12 Pakistani youths in Iran this week. As per a report in the state-run APP news, the FIA said it carried out raids across various locations to arrest suspects involved in sending Pakistani youths abroad on the pretext of facilitating their travel to Italy.
The FIA said it arrested suspect Ahsan Ali Khan after carrying out raids in Gujrat city.
“Investigators found that Ahsan Ali Khan was allegedly part of a network that collected money from the families of Pakistani citizens who went missing in Iran,” the APP report said.
The FIA said it was carrying out an investigation into the human trafficking network, financial transactions and other alleged facilitators linked to Khan.
In a separate operation, the FIA said it arrested another suspect named Atif Mahmood Butt for allegedly defrauding a citizen of Rs2.145 million [$7,715.8] by falsely promising him a French work visa.
“Both suspects have been taken into custody, and investigations are underway,” the agency said.
