The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Saturday arrested four suspects in Karachi believed to be involved in human trafficking in the United Arab Emirates.
According to a statement issued by the FIA today, four suspects from UAE were detained after the agency conducted an operation at the Karachi airport.
“The suspects were involved illegal activities in the UAE,” the statement said.
It said that the suspects, belonging to Hafizabad, Mandi Bahauddin and Gujranwala, were arrested by UAE authorities and deported to Pakistan upon completion of their sentences.
“They arrived in Pakistan on emergency passports,” the statement added.
The crackdown against human trafficking and illegal activities was ongoing, it said, adding that global cooperation was essential against human smugglers running prostitution rings.
“The suspects were transferred to the Anti-Human Trafficking Circle in Karachi for further legal action,” the statement said.
All resources are being utilised to eliminate human trafficking, it concluded.
In January, more than 30 officers of the FIA were booked and dismissed from service over their alleged collusion with human smugglers in sending Pakistanis abroad illegally.
The FIA had begun the purge following the capsising of a boat carrying illegal immigrants near Greece in December last year. As per the estimate, more than 80 Pakistanis drowned in the accident, 36 were rescued. The remaining were presumed dead.
In response to the tragedy, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had ordered the authorities to take action against the human smugglers and officials aiding them. Since then, a countrywide crackdown has been launched against human smugglers, leading to the arrests of dozens of suspects.
Consequently, FIA Lahore arrested 177 human smugglers during the last three months.
