GUJRAT: In a major crackdown on human trafficking networks, the Federal Investigation Agency Gujrat circle claimed to have arrested a “most wanted trafficker” whose name was included in the red book for being involved in sending the victims of 2023 boat capsize tragedy off the Libyan Coast.

Moreover, the FIA Gujranwala Zone have also arrested at least two other human traffickers in different raids.

A senior official of FIA Gujrat circle told Dawn that the notorious human trafficker Imran Hussain Allias Mani s/o Qurban Hussain, r/o Gujrat was apprehended during a raid in Gujrat.

The accused, he said, was wanted in multiple cases, registered under FIR numbers 171/23, 177/23, 224/23, 227/23, 238/23 and 240/23 u/s 17/22 EO 1979 and 3/6 PSMA 2018 at FIA Crime circle Gujrat and the name of accused was included in Red Book 2023 as “most wanted trafficker”.

In 2023, the accused, along with his co-accused persons, illegally extorted Rs2.4 million from each of six Pakistani nationals intending to migrate to Europe; however these individuals were initially flown to Libya via Egypt and Dubai and later crossed into Libya through unlawful means.

Once in Libya, the intending immigrants were held in a safe house under deplorable conditions before being transported by boat to Italy.

Tragically, the boat carrying these individuals sank, and all aboard were presumed dead. Consequently, six FIRs were registered at FIA CC Gujrat.

The FIA raiding team was being headed by assistant director Muhammad Yousaf with sub-inspectors Mehmood Butt, Muhammad Akhtar, ASI Muhammad Tayyab, Ghulam Haidar and Adnan Mehmood.

Meanwhile, the FIA Gujranwala circle have arrested human trafficker Muhammad Ejaz s/o Nazeer Ahmad, r/o near Jameya Masjid Muhammadi Mohallah Dhaabwala Qila Deedar Singh tehsil, Gujranwala district.

The suspect had been booked in case FIR No. 898/24 u/s 17/22 EO 1979 r/w 3/6 PSMA 2018 of FIA Gujranwala. The accused had extorted Rs900,000 and Euros 900 for sending complainant’s brother-in-law to Italy for employment.

Similarly, the FIA Gujrat circle have arrested human trafficker Imran Saqib s/o Muhammad Fiaz r/o Sanwal Kalan village of Gujrat who had been booked in case numbers 424/24, 425/24 and 426 u/s 17/22 EO 1979, 3/6 PSMA 2018.

The suspect had extorted Rs1.85m from each of the complainants for sending their sons to Germany on an employment visa and settling them there.

Later on, the accused person sent the intending immigrants to Saudi Arabia and tortured them for ransom. Gujrat FIA police station’s SI Irtaza Ansar led the raiding team as further investigation is under way.

Published in Dawn, January 1st, 2025