Police and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Sunday foiled a migrant smuggling attempt in Balochistan’s Turbat district in a joint operation, while detaining 29 foreign nationals for attempting to cross the border illegally, officials said.

Migrant smuggling, which has grown more frequent and dangerous in Pakistan in the last few years, assists a person to enter or stay in a country without having the legal permission to do so. The trend impacts both the country’s reputation and the lives of those caught in it.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Kech Captain Zohaib Mohsin told Dawn that the operation was carried out in the outskirts of Turbat, where a Land Cruiser was intercepted with dozens of people on board.

“The arrested persons include 12 men, 13 children and 4 women,” the SSP said. “Two drivers have also been arrested who were allegedly involved in taking these people to Iran through illegal routes.”

SSP Mohsin said initial investigations have revealed that the Afghan nationals were planning to enter Iran via Balochistan and reach Europe.

“All the arrested persons have been handed over to the FIA ​​for further investigation, while a probe has been launched against the network involved in the smuggling”, he said.

The official added that more arrests were expected after the initial investigation, and the scope of the probe had been expanded.

In September, the United Nations launched a network on migration in Pakistan in a bid to improve migration governance and tackle human trafficking in the country.

Every year, many young Pakistanis leave the country via illegal routes in hopes of better employment opportunities. A 2023 study by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and the European Union found that 24,000 Pakistanis entered EU countries illegally over the past three years.

The UK has also faced a surge in migrant inflows across the channel, while the USA and Australia have become favoured destinations as well.