RAWALPINDI: The federal investigation Agency (FIA) on Tuesday arrested a woman official of the immigration department and a travel agent in connection with human trafficking, official sources said.

Shahzad Ahmed, an immigration official posted at Benazir Bhutto Airport, has already been arrested by the anti-human trafficking cell.

The immigration officials allegedly cleared two Uzbik women on their arrival at the airport without putting them to immigration process early this month. The investigation started after the incident came to light.

One of the Uzbik women was brought out through Rawal Lounge while the other from international passenger lounge allegedly in connivance with the immigration staff on duty.

After the incident came to light, an inquiry was initiated by deputy director Nasrullah Gondal who found a constable and woman ASI being involved in human trafficking.

As part of the investigation, the FIA had requested the interior ministry to put the names of the two women and former assistant director FIA, whose alleged involvement in the scam came to light when the investigation started, on exit control list.

After the legal process was completed, the names of two women and the FIA’s former AD who had been posted at the airport at that time will be placed on ECL.

The former AD had already sought transit bail from a local court of law.

On Tuesday, the FIA arrested a travel agent of Karachi who issued air tickets to the two Uzbek women and a search for the man who paid for the tickets had also been launched by the FIA.

“A woman immigration official and a travel agent of Karachi was arrested by the FIA on Tuesday,” DD Gondal said.

The two Uzbik women had traveled on Turkish airline’s flight as their air tickets were issued by the travel agent of Karachi.

The FIA’s investigators have also been trying to trace the involvement of officials of other agencies operating at the airport with the help of surveillance cameras.