The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Friday announced the arrest of Abdul Shakoor, a Karachi-based human trafficker, accusing him of collaborating with an Indian agent to illegally send people to Europe.
This arrest is part of a broader government crackdown on human trafficking, following a series of recent tragedies involving Pakistani migrants.
The FIA confirmed that Shakoor had been working with Gautam Sharma, an Indian national based in Azerbaijan. Sharma coordinated the illegal movement of migrants from Azerbaijan to Poland. In connection with Shakoor, three other suspects: Hasib Ahmed, Qaiser Ahmed and Usman Ali, all from Punjab province, were also arrested.
According to the FIA, Shakoor charged $5,028.89 per person for transportation to Poland, and each migrant paid an advance of $898.02. The agency also named organizations that facilitated the visa acquisition process for these migrants.
The latest arrest follows the death of five Pakistani nationals in a boat disaster near the Greek island of Gavdos earlier this month, reigniting concerns about the dangers of illegal migration.
This issue attracted national attention last year after the deadly sinking of a boat off the Greek coast, where hundreds of migrants, including 262 Pakistanis, drowned during a dangerous journey from Libya.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday chaired a meeting to review the country’s efforts to combat human trafficking.
He discussed the findings of a committee investigating the recent boat tragedy near Greece and called for the creation of a new task force, headed by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, to develop long-term solutions to the problem of human trafficking. .
Chief Minister Shehbaz directed authorities to arrest all persons involved in human trafficking within a week and take immediate legal action.
He also expressed concern about the lack of disciplinary action against government officials suspected of aiding smugglers and emphasized the need for stricter visa controls and travel regulations for all outgoing migrants.
The meeting also provided an update on the identification of Pakistani nationals involved in the Greek ship tragedy and the ongoing process of repatriation of their bodies.
