ISLAMABAD: A First Information Report (FIR) was registered against five Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) officials for suspected involvement in human trafficking on Saturday.

The FIA Anti-Human Trafficking Cell Islamabad nominated Shift Supervisor Inspector Ziaul Hassan, General Checker Sub-Inspector Qari Arshad, Head-Constable Faisal Kahoot, Inspector Azmat and Sub-Inspector Shabana in the FIR.

Three others, Adrash Malik, Kamran and Arslan were also nominated in the case.

The FIR said the human trafficking gang surfaced when three Pakistanis left for Libya via Turkey on August 16, were denied entry to Libya by Turkish authorities and subsequently deported to Pakistan on August 24. Immigration officials at the airport let them go free instead of taking them into custody and handing them over to the passport cell, the FIR said.

Director FIA Islamabad Circle Mazharul Haq Kakakhail ordered an inquiry into the matter, which revealed that the deportees had fake visas, as confirmed by the Libyan embassy in Islamabad, the FIR said.

Further investigation into the matter showed that certain FIA officials had been involved in human trafficking, the FIR claimed.

A Joint Interrogation Team (JIT) had been formed to probe the matter, however the suspects were able to flee, the FIR said. Raids are being carried out to arrest those nominated in the FIR.

In November 2015, the FIA launched a countrywide crackdown against human traffickers in a bid to control the flow of immigrants, specially to Europe.

Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar had then said that although there had been improvement in the FIA's performance against human smugglers, "more still needs to be done".