GUJRAT: In a crackdown on human traffickers linked to the recent Greece boat capsize tragedy, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) claimed to have arrested an alleged human trafficker from Mandi Bahauddin district.

An FIA spokesman said the suspect, Mudassir Ali, a resident of Hellan village in Phalia tehsil of Mandi Bahauddin district had allegedly been involved in sending some persons abroad, who later died or went missing in the boat accident off the Greek coast.

He said at least six missing Pakistanis in the boat tragedy are from Hellan village, adding that an agent, Ashraf Saleemi, of the same village was also involved in sending some of the potential illegal emigrants abroad.

He said that Mudassir was arrested by a team of the FIA’s Gujrat circle as a case (No 416/24) had been registered against him under sections 22(b) of the Emigration Ordinance 1979, read with section 3/6 of the Prevention of Smuggling of Migrants Act (PSMA) 2018.

He said that Mudassir, in collaboration with his accomplices, was allegedly involved in the human trafficking and extorted Rs3.4 million from the family of the missing emigrant,

Ahtesham Anjum, son of Zulfiqar, under the pretext of securing a Greek employment visa for him.

Further investigations into the case are underway, he added.

Meanwhile, the immigration authorities at the Sialkot International Airport on Tuesday offloaded at least two passengers from as many flights, who were trying to travel on fake documents of different European countries.

Officials say that during immigration clearance of a Sri Lanka-bound flight OV506, a passenger, Raja Qamar Islam of Gujrat, having passport No AJ1839391, was found with a fake Polish residence permit.

The suspect disclosed that he wanted to go to Europe for employment and his relative Zohaib struck a deal with an agent, Yasir Mehmood, presently residing in Germany, for Rs3 million for the purpose.

He said the agent in Germany sent him the fake Polish permit through a cargo service and he was first going to Sri Lanka for traveling to Europe onward.

Another passenger, Ali Hamza of Mandi Bahauddin, having passport No BX6217381, was found with a fake Romanian visa.

During initial interrogation, the suspect said that he wanted to go to Italy for employment.

He added that an agent, Mazhar Shah of Mandi Bahauddin, provided him the fake visa and a ticket to Romania after charging Rs6.5 million from him.

Both passengers were handed over to the FIA’s anti-human trafficking cell, Gujranwala, for further action.

Published in Dawn, December 25th, 2024