Only 10 travel agents netted in Mandi

Published September 2, 2003

LAHORE, Sept 1: The Federal Investigation Agency has arrested only 10 travel agents from Mandi Bahauddin, who used to send people abroad through invalid documents, during its campaign which started in April in the district.

The FIA has also completed about 100 inquiries against the suspected travel agents, and registered 20 cases in the entire Range. Millions of rupees were recovered from them.

The agency had started the crackdown on travel agent mafia on the complaints of some people, who accused the mafia of depriving the innocent people of hundreds of thousands of rupees on the pretext of sending them in developed countries.

The FIA officials, however, claimed that the agency would expedite its operation after the establishment of a new passport circle office.

A draft proposal regarding the establishment of an FIA circle office in Mandi Bahauddin had been forwarded to the interior ministry to break the network of human smugglers there. The circle office is likely to be set up in two months.