FIA issues first advisory in 20 years to tackle human trafficking

FIA instructs for strict monitoring of passengers from 15 countries, 9 cities in Pakistan, and two airlines.

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The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has issued its first travel advisory in 20 years, as part of attempts to curb human trafficking.

The FIA Headquarters has sent a letter to Deputy Directors of Immigration across the country, instructing strict monitoring of passengers from 15 countries, 9 cities in Pakistan, and two airlines.

For the first time, the advisory focuses on tightening surveillance on passengers aged between 15 to 40 years travelling abroad. Strict checks have been ordered for young passengers traveling with FlyDubai and Ethiopian Airlines.

Passengers from Azerbaijan, Ethiopia, Senegal, Kenya, Russia, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt are to undergo thorough scrutiny.

The letter also includes profiling of passengers from Libya, Iran, Mauritania, Iraq, Turkiye, Qatar, Kuwait, and Kyrgyzstan. These 15 countries were used by Pakistanis as transit points for human trafficking to Europe.

The movement of passengers with tourist, religious, or educational visas to these countries is being reviewed. The advisory was prepared based on the analysis of the IBMS database from July to December.

According to the advisory, passengers from Mandi Bahauddin, Gujarat, Sialkot, Gujranwala, and Bimber should be closely monitored. Profiling measures for passengers from Jhelum, Toba Tek Singh, Hafizabad, and Sheikhupura should also be enhanced.

A thorough examination of return tickets, hotel bookings, and all documents has been ordered. Special attention should be given to documents for visit or tourist visas. Suspicious passengers should be interviewed regarding their travel purpose and financial arrangements.

FIA officials have emphasized that detailed records of suspicious passengers must be maintained, and any irregularities should be reported immediately.

Previously, FIA claimed on Friday to have thwarted a major human trafficking attempt at Islamabad Airport under the guise of Umrah visas, offloading and detaining five individuals, including a 16-year-old boy.

The suspects were attempting to travel to Saudi Arabia and Libya before travelling by sea to Italy. The Agency has already initiated strict screening procedures at airports and borders to combat human trafficking.

During one such check at Islamabad Airport, the immigration officials found that five suspicious passengers including Miraj Khan, Usman Khan, Asad Ali and Murtaza Ali were travelling on Umrah visas to Saudi Arabia.

Earlier this month, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ordered a coordinated and holistic approach towards capturing and punishing those involved in human trafficking, as he assigned various tasks to the ministries of law, interior, information and foreign affairs in this regard.

Chairing a review meeting on measures taken against human trafficking in the country, the prime minister appreciated recent actions taken by the FIA against officials involved in this heinous crime.