FIA Gujranwala zone arrests 17 alleged human traffickers

GUJRANWALA: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Gujranwala Zone has arrested 17 alleged human traffickers and agents involved in defrauding citizens on the pretext of providing overseas employment.

The arrests were made during a crackdown against human trafficking and immigration fraud in Gujranwala, Gujrat and Sialkot circles. Some of the arrested suspects were also proclaimed offenders (POs), according to the FIA.

Officials said the suspects allegedly collected millions of rupees from citizens after promising to send them to Saudi Arabia, Italy, Spain, Turkey, Poland, Iraq, Cambodia, Dubai and other countries for employment.

The arrested suspects were identified as Mustansar Hussain, Asif Shabbir, Farooq, Muhammad Waseem, Javed Iqbal, Qaiser Shehzad, Zafar Ali, Zakaullah, Muhammad Sufyan, Yasin Ali, Muhammad Sharif, Manzoor Ahmed, Safdar Hussain, Sufyan Elahi, Muhammad Jameel, Athar Hani alias Aswad and Nadeem Mahmood.

The Gujranwala circle made the highest number of arrests, with 10 suspects taken into custody, followed by Gujrat with five and Sialkot with two. In one of the Gujranwala circle operations, two suspects were arrested in the same case.

In a major case, the FIA arrested Muhammad Jameel for allegedly receiving Rs8 million from two people on the promise of sending them to Italy. Another suspect, Nadeem Mahmood, allegedly took Rs2.5 million from a citizen for sending him to Italy.

According to investigators, the victim in the latter case was instead sent to Libya, where he was allegedly kept in a safe house and subjected to torture. The suspects allegedly demanded further money for his release.

The Gujrat circle arrested Javed Iqbal and Qaiser Shehzad for allegedly receiving Rs3.5 million from citizens on the promise of sending them to Spain.

In Sialkot, the FIA arrested Yasin Ali alias Amir and Muhammad Sharif in separate human trafficking cases. Yasin Ali allegedly received Rs251,000 and 2,000 dirhams from a citizen after promising him employment in Dubai, while Muhammad Sharif allegedly took Rs1 million for sending another citizen to Poland.

The FIA said the suspects had collectively received at least Rs23.495 million from citizens in different cases on false promises of overseas employment.

Cases have been registered against the suspects under relevant provisions of law and further investigation is underway.

FIA officials said the crackdown would continue against other elements involved in human trafficking, immigration fraud and exploitation of citizens seeking employment abroad.

The agency also urged citizens to remain cautious while dealing with overseas employment agents and verify their credentials before handing over money or documents for foreign employment.