GUJRAT: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) claimed to have arrested six more human traffickers from Gujrat, Mandi Bahauddin, Wazirabad and Sialkot districts during the ongoing crackdown on human trafficking.

The suspects were involved in sending the victims of boat tragedies in Libya last year and in Greece a couple of weeks ago.

An FIA spokesman said Zafar Iqbal had been arrested from Mandi Bahauddin after he was booked for sending an underage immigrant to Italy by receiving Rs1.9m and receiving 2,300 Euros from the heirs of the victim who had lost his life in the boat tragedy near Greece. Muhammad Shaffique, son of Muhammad Nazir Mughal, a resident of Manzoorabad of Wazirabad, was arrested in case registered with FIA Gujranwala.The suspect had extorted Rs400,000 from man to Greece for employment.

Another suspect, Khizer Hayat, son of Nazar Muhammad Cheema, resident of Sayedey Wali of Wazirabad, had been arrested in a case registered with FIA Gujranwala for sending complainants to Greece illegally against Rs400,000. One Azmat Ali, son of Muhammad Latif of Ugoki, Sialkot, had taken Rs500,000 for sending complainants to Greece.

The other arrested suspects were identified as Asad Abbas and Azmat Ali.

Gujranwala FIA zone director Abdul Qadir Qamar said the FIA Gujranwala had consistently been conducting raids and arresting the traffickers from the region particularly those involved in the boat capsize tragedies.

He said more than 25 cases had so far been lodged against the human traffickers in the region.

Published in Dawn, December 31st, 2024