CHAGAI: A young boy attempting to reach Europe illegally via Iran was arrested on Friday from the border district of Chagai, according to an official.

Chagai Deputy Commissioner Hussain Jan Baloch told Dawn that relatives of the boy, Abdul Hakeem, informed the authorities that he ran away from the house with some foreign currency with an intention of reaching Europe with the help of a Karachi-based human trafficker.

Mr Baloch said Levies Force safely recovered the boy from Mashkail — a town near the Pakistan-Iran border in Washuk district — following a twelve-hour-long operation with the help of sources.

He said the money, which was around $30,000, has been returned by the trafficker to the family. More than four agents from Karachi, Quetta and Washuk were involved in the case.

Mr Baloch said the boy identified the traffickers, especially the one based in Karachi.

The home department and the Federal Investigation Agency shall be approached to arrest the traffickers, especially those operating in Sindh.

The boy is currently in the custody of the Levies Force and will be handed over to the family after fulfilling legal formalities.

Published in Dawn, March 11th, 2023