PESHAWAR: Federal Investigation Agency’s Kohat Composite Circle team arrested two human smugglers, including the main suspect in the recent Libya boat tragedy, during raids in Bajaur district, according to a statement issued here on Monday.

Sixteen migrants, including 14 from Kurram district, lost their lives in the boat incident.

The FIA team comprising deputy director Amjad Ali and other officials conducted multiple raids in Pashat area of Salarzai tehsil near the Pak-Afghan border leading to the arrest of key human smugglers involved in the Libya boat incident.

It said one of the arrested human smugglers, Habibur Rehman had received Rs3.7 million in his bank account from a deceased, Syed Shahzad Hussain, a resident of Kurram, who lost life in the Libya boat incident.

Based on information obtained from the suspected human smuggler, another raid was conducted in the same bazaar, where another human smuggler, Naveed Ahmad, was also arrested. The statement said that the accused revealed that he collected money from various victims on behalf of Wajid Ali and Shah Faisal, also residents of Salarzai, the two alleged human smugglers operating in Libya/Italy.

The statement said a third raid was conducted at the residence of Wajid Ali and Shah Faisal, but it was found that they were in Italy, which was also verified from their travel history.

During the raids, the statement said mobile phones were recovered containing incriminating evidence, including videos, photos, voice chats, and bank transactions related to the Libya boat incident. Three bank accounts have also been frozen by FIA, the statement said.

Published in Dawn, February 18th, 2025