The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) arrested five agents involved in people smuggling and visa fraud.
The suspects operating in Gujranwala and Gujrat cheated unsuspecting citizens by promising overseas employment opportunities, Express News reported.
The arrested agents, identified as Farooq Adil, Nazaqat Ali, Muhammad Asif, Muhammad Arsalan and Adnan Ali, jointly defrauded victims of nearly Rs 10 million ($35,000).
Each suspect targeted individuals with job offers in various countries, including Europe and the Middle East.
Nazaqat Ali allegedly defrauded Rs5 million ($17,500) by promising illegal passage to Libya and Europe.
Farooq Adil duped a victim out of Rs 1.45 million ($5,100) with the false promise of a job in Romania, while Muhammad Asif tricked someone into paying Rs 1.1 million ($3,850) for a job opportunity in Kyrgyzstan.
Arsalan and Adnan Ali defrauded victims with job offers in Kuwait and Italy, taking Rs 1.03 million ($3,600) and Rs 1.3 million ($4,550) respectively.
The suspects went into hiding after collecting these large sums.
FIA Gujranwala Zone Director stated that raids are underway to nab additional suspects.
Authorities are using all resources and conducting intelligence-led operations to dismantle human trafficking networks. Officials have vowed to secure convictions based on strong evidence against the accused.
Earlier this week, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ordered authorities to step up efforts against human traffickers and their facilitators, instructing officials to make them “examples for others”.
During a high-level meeting, Prime Minister Shehbaz praised the FIA for its recent actions against government officials involved in facilitating human trafficking networks.
He stressed the need for swift legal action to seize the traffickers’ assets and hold them accountable.
“Strong legal action should be taken against all human trafficking groups operating in the country so that they become a warning to others,” Prime Minister Shehbaz said.
He urged the Ministry of Law and Justice to engage top prosecutors to strengthen cases against traffickers and ensure effective trials.
The Prime Minister also directed the Ministry of External Affairs to cooperate with international counterparts for the extradition of Pakistani nationals running human trafficking operations from abroad.
In an effort to curb illegal migration, Prime Minister Shehbaz called for a nationwide awareness campaign in collaboration with the Ministry of Information and Radio to promote the use of legal options to seek overseas employment.
Prime Minister Shehbaz emphasized the importance of improving technical educational institutions to produce certified professionals who are attuned to global market demands. In addition, he directed authorities to improve screening protocols at airports for those traveling abroad.
