The Federal Research Agency (FIA) has exhibited a human smuggling network involved in sending citizens to Europe through illegal sea routes, stopping five passengers at the Karachi airport.
According to a FIA spokesman, the passengers arrived from Mauritania and were identified as Samiullah, Daud Iqbal, Murtaza Khan, Shah Wali and Arshad, from Hafizabad, Gujranwala and Swat.
The agents had allegedly demanded between RS2.5 million and RS3.5 million of each passenger to facilitate their illegal trip to Europe.
The initial investigation revealed that the passengers had traveled through Dubai, Saudi and Qatar Arabia before arriving in Mauritania.
Upon arriving in Mauritania, the agents tried to send them to Europe through the sea, but the passengers refused to undertake the risky trip and returned to Pakistan.
According to reports, agents, from several parts of Punjab, are traced as FIA continues their probe.
The detainees have been delivered to the Karachi antihuman traffic circle for greater investigation.
The director of the FIA Karachi area said that the strict scrutiny of the travel documents is underway, and the action against human smuggling networks and their facilitators continue without discrimination.
Last week, a boat tragedy off the coast of Libya charged the lives of 16 Pakistani nationals, with 37 survivors. The boat, which transported 65 people, flew in the Mediterranean Sea, which caused an immediate response from the Pakistani embassy in Tripoli to provide assistance and support to survivors.
In addition, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (FO) confirmed the identities of 13 Pakistani who were among the victims of a separate boat tragedy that occurred last month in the waters between Mauritania and Morocco.
On January 16, the FO reported that the boat, which transported 80 passengers, overturned near Morocco, with more than 40 Pakistani among the diet.
