Summary
- GUJRANWALA: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has arrested 21 people in a five-day crackdown on alleged human trafficking, immigration fraud and document forgery across the Gujranwala zone.
- In another case, the FIA arrested Rameez Ali after his deportation from Libya.
- Investigators said three alleged agents Azmat Ali, Waqar Asif and Shafiq Bajwa had taken money from him on the promise of sending him to Italy before sending him to Libya.
GUJRANWALA: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has arrested 21 people in a five-day crackdown on alleged human trafficking, immigration fraud and document forgery across the Gujranwala zone.
The arrests were made between September 22 and 26 in Gujranwala, Gujrat and Sialkot, with five of the suspects being proclaimed offenders. The list also includes a man who was deported from Libya, according to the FIA.
The agency said the suspects allegedly collected large sums from citizens after promising to send them abroad for employment or arrange their travel to countries including Italy, Iraq, Greece, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Germany, Qatar, Turkey, Canada and Cambodia. In several cases, the applicants were neither sent abroad nor refunded their money, the agency said.
According to investigators, the suspects allegedly collected a combined Rs12.99 million from complainants, while Rs4,300 was also allegedly taken from a victim in one of the cases.
The Gujranwala circle made the highest number of arrests, with 11 suspects taken into custody, followed by eight arrests by the Gujrat circle and two by the Sialkot circle.
Among those arrested were Zeeshan alias Shani, Waheed, Sabir Hussain, Sher Shah, Saqib Munir, Ali Hasnain, Syed Yasir Abbas, Nasir, Babar Parvez, Bilal Aslam, Muhammad Asif, Kashif Naseer, Muhammad Saeed, Muhammad Riaz, Waseem Ejaz, Ali Hassan, Muhammad Tahir, Rameez Ali, Tauqeer Hussain, Maqbool Hussain and Nadeem Akhtar.
One of the cases emerged after a family approached the FIA, alleging that their relative was being held captive by human traffickers in Libya and that local agents were involved in sending him there.
Following directions from the FIA Gujranwala zone director, a case was registered under FIR No. 672/2026, and suspects Zeeshan alias Shani and Waheed were arrested. A court subsequently granted the agency their physical remand for investigation.
In another case, the FIA arrested Rameez Ali after his deportation from Libya. Investigators said three alleged agents Azmat Ali, Waqar Asif and Shafiq Bajwa had taken money from him on the promise of sending him to Italy before sending him to Libya.
The agency also arrested proclaimed offender Kashif Naseer in a case involving alleged preparation of forged documents and fake bank statements for obtaining a Turkish visa.
Separately, the FIA Gujrat circle arrested Tauqeer Hussain over allegations that he had altered his father’s name on his identity card.
The FIA said cases against the suspects were being investigated under the Emigration Ordinance 1979, the Prevention of Smuggling of Migrants Act 2018 and relevant provisions of the Pakistan Penal Code.
