Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has arrested five human traffickers, including two proclaimed offenders. The crackdown targets networks smuggling people to Europe through Libya.
A deportee from Libya arrived at Sialkot Airport after smugglers failed to send him to Italy. The passenger, Haroon Jameel, was travelling on a fake passport arranged by a Libyan agent. His uncle had paid Rs2.5 million to a trafficker in Lahore, hoping to get him into Italy. Instead, he was stranded in Libya.
Jameel later contacted another agent in Jhelum, who took Rs2.3 million but failed to bring him back. Immigration authorities detained Jameel on arrival and referred him to the FIA’s anti-human trafficking unit.
In separate cases, the FIA arrested several traffickers. Arshad Sulehria from Sialkot was caught for taking Rs450,000 to smuggle a man to Italy. Asif Javed from Kasur took Rs1.5 million, promising an employment visa for Germany. Tayyab Sohail Butt from Gujranwala charged Rs4.5 million to smuggle someone to the UK. Muhammad Faizan from Lahore took Rs600,000 to send a man to Malaysia.
Authorities are cracking down on human smuggling routes linked to Libya. The FIA is tracking down agents operating in both Pakistan and Libya.
