GUJRAT: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) claims to have arrested 12 human traffickers, including five proclaimed offenders, from Gujranwala region during a crackdown on illegal human trafficking networks.

Those arrested include Muhammad Arshad, Abdul Rasheed, Shakeel Ahmed, Ali Furqan, Guldiaz Akhtar, Abdul Wahid, Imran Khan, Naeem Sikandar, Imtiaz Nazar, Attiq Ahmed and Muhammad Ahmed.

A spokesman for FIA said the suspects were involved in defrauding their clients on the pretext of sending them abroad for employment. They had received an amount of Rs23.8 million from the citizens belonging to Gujranwala, Gujrat and Sialkot districts.

Shakeel and Ali Furqan were booked and arrested for preparing and submitting fake documents to Turkish embassy seeking visa.

A case has been registered against them under sections 420, 468 and 471 of PPC.

Published in Dawn, July 23rd, 2026