QUETTA, Aug 12: Levies officials have busted a child traffickers gang, including two women, and recovered five minors from their possession in Taftan, some 700km southwest of here at the border of Pakistan and Iran.

The gang, which used to smuggle children to the Gulf states for camel racing, had been arrested the other day, levies officials confirmed on Monday.

The recovered children — Mohammad Asad, 9; Haider Ali, 8; Suleman Ali, 9; Asif Ali, 3 and Atif Ali, 7 — told investigation officials that they belonged to Rahimyar Khan.

“The gang members wanted to cross into Iran along with the children,” the officials said.

The alleged smugglers informed the investigation officers that the minors had been kidnapped from Punjab to smuggle them to Dubai via Iran to sell them for taking part in famous camel race in the UAE.

The members of gang were identified as Kaniz Fatima, Azan Bagum and Zafar Iqbal. The officials said Zafar Iqbal was the gang leader.

Opinion

Editorial

Doctor attacked
09 Jun, 2026

Doctor attacked

AN act of reprehensible violence has shaken the medical community. On Saturday, an employee of the Provincial Civil...
AJK flare-up
Updated 09 Jun, 2026

AJK flare-up

The situation started deteriorating after a trader affiliated with the JAAC was reportedly shot in an altercation with law-enforcers.
Fault lines
09 Jun, 2026

Fault lines

THE April 8 ceasefire that halted hostilities between Israel and Iran has encountered its most serious test yet....
Soft on traders
08 Jun, 2026

Soft on traders

THE Fixed Tax Asaan Scheme for traders with an annual turnover of up to Rs200m has been designed as a ‘pragmatic...
Ceasefire in name
Updated 08 Jun, 2026

Ceasefire in name

Both sides accuse the other of violating the truce that was supposed to halt the conflict in April, yet neither appears willing to abandon negotiations altogether.
Damaged childhoods
08 Jun, 2026

Damaged childhoods

CHILD abuse is so prevalent that the UN ranked Pakistan as the least safe country for children. Even so, more than...