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The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Immigration has uncovered a human trafficking network during operations at Jinnah International Airport in Karachi, exposing schemes to smuggle women and other passengers abroad under false pretences, ARY News reported.
The case first came to light when FIA officials stopped and questioned a young woman who was travelling on a visit visa to Dubai. She told officials that she had been promised a hotel job, but during questioning revealed details that pointed to a larger trafficking operation. Her statement led investigators to uncover a network involved in sending girls abroad for prostitution under the guise of overseas employment. Based on the woman's identification, FIA arrested a suspected human smuggler named Shahzaib. Investigators said Shahzaib had arranged her visa and airline ticket using money provided by another trafficker, identified as Nadeem, as per ARY News. According to the FIA spokesperson, a total of Pakistani currency (PKR) 420,000 was paid to facilitate the travel, including PKR 40,000 given to an agent for airport clearance in Karachi. The FIA said further evidence was recovered from Shahzaib's mobile phone, including WhatsApp conversations that showed his links with other individuals involved in prostitution-related activities. The victim has since been shifted to the Anti-Human Trafficking Circle for further legal proceedings, while Shahzaib remains in FIA custody as the investigation continues. In a separate but related operation at the same airport, the FIA arrested eight more people who were allegedly planning to travel illegally to Albania by sea. Officials said the passengers had each paid around PKR 1 million to human smugglers to arrange the journey. The FIA spokesperson said the agency took into custody several agents and facilitators after the passengers identified them during questioning. Investigators confirmed that the arrested individuals were part of an organised human smuggling network, according to ARY News. According to the FIA, the agents belonged to different areas of Pakistan's Gujrat, and further inquiries revealed that other accomplices were operating parts of the network from Saudi Arabia and Greece. During the operation, FIA officials recovered fake airline tickets and foreign currency, including Euros, US Dollars, and Iranian Riyals, from the passengers' possession. (ANI)
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