QUETTA:The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has apprehended two long-sought suspects allegedly involved in illegally sending people to Iraq. The arrests were made during a raid in Hafizabad conducted by the Anti-Human Trafficking Circle (AHTC) Quetta.
An FIA spokesperson identified the arrested individuals as Basharat Naseem and Ali Sohail. Both had been wanted since 2023, with multiple previous raids failing to locate them.
Initial investigations reveal that the suspects attempted to smuggle three citizens to Iraq through illegal means. The victims were intercepted and arrested while attempting to leave the country unlawfully. The suspects had allegedly demanded Rs. 280,000 per person for their services and had collected an advance payment of Rs. 100,000 from each victim.
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This arrest is part of a broader, ongoing crackdown by Pakistani authorities against human trafficking networks . The FIA has recently intensified its efforts, which include publishing a “Red Book” of most-wanted human smugglers . Incidents involving fake visas for countries like Iraq have been a specific focus, leading to arrests at airports and deportations from destination countries .
