ISLAMABAD, May 28: A batch of 66 Pakistani illegal immigrants deported by the Turkish authorities arrived here on Monday, official sources said. However, several thousands illegal immigrants taken to Turkey by gangs of Pakistani human smugglers have been waiting to be pushed into Europe raising alarm among the Pakistani authorities in the country and abroad.

A senior official of the Federal Investigation Agency (passport cell) told Dawn that the 66 deportees reached Islamabad on a scheduled PIA flight (PK-766) and soon were taken into custody by the immigration authorities for investigation. They were all aged between 16 and 20 years.

According to the FIA, out of the 66 deportees, two belonged to Azad Kashmir while the remaining were from Gujranwala. The two were identified as Mohammad Arshad and Mohammad Wasim.—Staff Reporter