10 held for human trafficking, corruption

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has arrested four proclaimed offenders and six other suspe cts on charges of human trafficking and corruption.

The FIA Gujranwala Zone teams arrested nine alleged human traffickers and a GEPCO employee.

According to a spokesperson, the suspects had allegedly defrauded citizens by promising jobs abroad, extorting a total of Rs19.64 million and $1,100 from them.

The FIA Sialkot Circle arrested GEPCO employee Shaukat Ali on corruption charges.

He was accused of taking bribe to provide an illegal electricity connection to a housing society and routing a high-voltage power line over a citizen's house, allegedly causing a child to lose both arms.

Officials said seven arrests, including four proclaimed offenders, were made by the Gujranwala Circle, while three were arrested by the Sialkot Circle.

Director Muhammad Bin Ashraf said the agency would continue its crackdown on human trafficking, visa fraud, corruption and illegal immigration, urging citizens to use only licensed overseas employment promoters for jobs abroad.