QUETTA: Director General of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), Riffat Mukhtar, declared on Friday that a strict and effective crackdown against organized criminal networks involved in human trafficking and illegal hawala/hundi operations will continue unabated, with those damaging the national economy through crimes like electricity theft to be brought to justice.
The DG made these remarks during his visit to the FIA Zonal Office in Balochistan, where he reviewed administrative and investigative matters. Director of the Balochistan Zone, Bahram Khan, provided a detailed briefing on the zone’s performance and ongoing operations.
The statistics presented were significant. This year, the Balochistan Zone has registered 89 cases against elements involved in hawala/hundi and illegal currency exchange, arresting 112 accused. From these operations, authorities recovered 45,730 US dollars, foreign currency worth over 190 million rupees, and 46.7 million Pakistani rupees.
In a parallel crackdown on electricity theft, the FIA conducted 4,771 raids, recovering more than 56.7 million rupees. The fight against human trafficking saw 409 cases registered, with the arrest of 3,567 individuals involved in illegal border crossings and 39 identified human traffickers.
DG Riffat Mukhtar praised the performance of the Balochistan Zone against these organized crimes and announced certificates of appreciation for the best-performing officers. Reiterating his commitment, he stated that the agency’s relentless campaign would persist.
Seeking further improvements, the DG FIA directed the zonal officials to formulate a plan to enhance operational performance. He also called for a comprehensive report on improving logistical facilities within the Balochistan Zone to strengthen the agency’s capacity to combat transnational and economic crimes.
Inspector General of Police (IGP) Balochistan, Muhammad Tahir, on Tuesday reaffirmed the police force’s commitment to utilizing all available resources to maintain law and order in the province. He issued directives for heightened security and the adoption of modern technology to effectively curb criminal activities.
The IGP chaired a high-level review meeting via video link with senior police officers from all ranges at the Central Police Office. During the session, officers provided him with a detailed briefing on the prevailing law and order situation and the security arrangements currently in place.
The meeting was attended by top brass including Additional IGPs Javed Ali Mahar and Agha Muhammad Yousaf (CTC), DIG Headquarters Hassan Asad Alvi, DIG Quetta Imran Shaukat, DIG CTD Aitzaz Ahmed Goraya, DIG Special Branch Tahir Alauddin Kasi, DIG Crimes Branch Dr. Farhan Zahid, and AIG Operations Naveed Alam.
