LAHORE: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Multan Zone has arrested three suspects involved in human smuggling in separate operations and recovered funds in two cases in Bahawalpur, officials said.

According to an FIA spokesperson, the operation was carried out on the directions of FIA Director General Dr Usman Anwar and FIA Multan Zone Director Ataur Rehman as part of an ongoing crackdown against proclaimed offenders and human smugglers.

In Multan, the FIA anti-human smuggling circle arrested Habibur Rehman alias Kala from Jalalpur. He was wanted in a case for allegedly receiving Rs1.024 million from a complainant on the pretext of arranging a Saudi Arabia work visa, which he failed to provide.

In another operation, a team led by Bahawalpur deputy director Rab Nawaz arrested Muhammad Asif, who was wanted in a case of human smuggling. He is accused of taking Rs5 million from a complainant for a United Kingdom employment visa but did not arrange it.

In a third case, the FIA arrested Muhammad Amir, a resident of Mumtazabad, Multan, who was wanted in three cases of human smuggling. The suspect, along with an accomplice, allegedly collected Rs1.936m from citizens on the promise of providing Saudi work visas but failed to do so.

Officials said further investigations are underway in all cases.

Separately, the FIA Bahawalpur circle recovered Rs790,000 in case No. 299/2025 and Rs200,000 in case No. 333/2025 and returned the amounts to the complainants.

Published in Dawn, April 9th, 2026