Scores of 'human traffickers' netted

FIA arrests 16 agents involved in 2024 Greece boat tragedy.

ISLAMABAD:

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has arrested 185 human smugglers and agents in one month during a nationwide crackdown against elements involved in human trafficking.

Among them are the 38 most wanted human traffickers, who have names in the Red Book, and 16 agents who were involved in the 2024 Greece boat accident.

The crackdown was initiated on the directions of Prime Minister Mian Shehbaz Sharif after the deaths of Pakistanis in different boat tragedies.

The agency claimed that 20 officers and personnel of FIA were also taken into custody and 38 officers and officials of FIA Immigration were dismissed from their jobs due to serious allegations. Their reports have been sent to the interior ministry.

Charge sheets were also issued to 12 deputy directors (DDs) and assistant directors (ADs) for poor investigation and follow-up, while explanations were sought from four zonal directors for poor monitoring.

Property worth more than Rs450 million was seized and bank accounts with Rs70 million of the accused involved in human trafficking were frozen.

According to the FIA, 20 red notices were issued to arrest suspects involved in human trafficking through Interpol, while in the 2024 Libya boat accident, departmental action was initiated against 30 officials.

FIA director-general (DG) Ahmad Ishaq Jahangir says all resources are being used to arrest the agents involved in the boat accident. He directed that the officers posted at all the airports of the country should keep a close watch on the agents and the airport in-charges should ensure that no agent escapes abroad.