ISLAMABAD: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) announced on Friday that its Gwadar Composite Circle thwarted an attempt to illegally cross into Iran by sea.
According to FIA Headquarters Islamabad, the operation led to the arrest of 29 individuals, including an Iranian national, from the coastal area of Jiwani in Balochistan.
The detainees belong to various cities across Pakistan, including Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab. Six are from Bannu, five from Malakand, four each from Faisalabad, Multan, and Khanewal, while others hail from Buner, Hafizabad, Waziristan, Wazirabad, and Karachi.
Initial investigations revealed that the suspects planned to travel beyond Iran to other countries through illegal channels.
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The FIA has registered cases against all arrested individuals and launched further investigations.
Human Trafficking via Iran
Pakistan remains both a source and transit country for human trafficking. Thousands of people, mainly from Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, attempt irregular migration each year in search of work in the Middle East and Europe.
Balochistan, with its long porous borders with Iran and Afghanistan and a vast coastline along the Arabian Sea, is a major route for human smuggling. The coastal towns of Gwadar, Jiwani, Pasni, and Ormara often serve as exit points where migrants are loaded onto boats bound for Iran or Oman. From there, many try to reach Turkey, Greece, and ultimately Europe.
Authorities, including the FIA’s Anti-Human Smuggling Wing, regularly carry out operations in Balochistan to curb these activities. However, poverty, unemployment, and demand for cheap labour abroad continue to fuel the trade, making it a persistent challenge.
