QUETTA: In a significant breakthrough, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has arrested a notorious human smuggler described as a ringleader of an international trafficking network during an operation in Quetta.
The FIA’s Anti-Human Trafficking Circle in Quetta conducted the raid in the Hazarganji area, apprehending the suspect identified as Yusuf, alias Hamidullah. According to an FIA spokesperson, the arrested individual was listed among the most wanted human smugglers for 2024, highlighting his prominence in illicit cross-border operations.
Investigations reveal that Yusuf was a central figure in an organized syndicate specializing in illegally transporting Pakistani citizens to Iran, a key transit route for onward migration to Europe and beyond. “The suspect was found to be involved in illegally sending innocent citizens from Pakistan to Iran,” stated the spokesperson.
Authorities seized two mobile phones and crucial digital evidence from his possession. A forensic examination of the devices uncovered WhatsApp messages that exposed his extensive contacts and coordination with other key smugglers operating in major hubs across Pakistan and in Iran itself, including Peshawar, Karachi, and Gwadar.
Following this arrest, the FIA has significantly expanded the scope of its investigation. Raid operations are currently underway across multiple locations to apprehend other affiliated members of this widespread smuggling network. This operation marks a critical step in dismantling a syndicate exploiting vulnerable individuals seeking migration.
Meanwhile over the continued and prolonged loads shedding the Pakhtunkhwa National Awami Party PkNap protested in different districts of Balochistan on Saturday.
The protest was organized and led by the Party districts Secretaries Nana Sahib, Ziarat, and Dukhi. The protester slams the Quetta Electric Supply Company QESCO for the prolonged load shedding and also chanted slogans against the government.
A large number of people from different walk of life participated in the demonstration and raised their legitimate demands of uninterrupted power.
