GUJRANWALA: The Federal investigation Agency (FIA) arrested on Tuesday seven people for human trafficking in Kamoki and another seven who had just started their journey for greener pastures through illegal routes in Gujrta.

The FIA seized 149 passports, identity cards, fake visas, medical certificates and various embassies stamps and letter pads from them.

FIA Divisional Deputy Director Khalid Anees said Amir Raza and Khuram Shehzad had approached them alleging that Hussain Khan Baloch had lured them into an Iraq journey and despite getting money, he failed to arrange travel documents for them. The agency raided a house near Kamoki and arrested Baloch and some other human traffickers who were also present there.

The arrested people included Afzaal, Iqrarul Hassan and Faisal Ameen (all of Mandi Bahauuddin), Raja Farooq (of Azad Jammu and Kashmir) and Imran Khan and Rashid Abbas (of Sukkar).

The gang has been working since 2011 and has sent about 200 people to Iran, Iraq, Turkey and Europe illegally.

The ringleader had links with the agents of Turbat where more than 20 people were killed.

APP ADDS: The FIA arrested seven people in Gujrat on Tuesday who intended to go abroad illegally.

According to the FIA spokesman, the group left Kharian for Lahore by a local vehicle. From Lahore, they wanted to proceed to Quetta for crossing Pakistan-Iran border illegally. They wanted to go to Turkey and then onwards to European countries.

They told the FIA they each paid Rs130,000 to land route agents Sajid, alias Bobi, Tayyab and Nisar, all of Gujrat.

Published in Dawn, November 22nd, 2017