Most Wanted Human Trafficker Taken Into Custody

GUJRAT: According to the Gujrat circle of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), they have arrested a human trafficker who was both a ‘ most wanted’ and a proclaimed offender (PO) in the case of the 2021 Libya boat capsize tragedy.

Basheer Ahmad, a local of Hafizabad, was also included as a most wanted trafficker in the FIA’s red book in 2023.

According to a spokeswoman, during a raid on Sunday, an FIA team commanded by Gujarat Assistant Director Muhammad Yousaf arrested the suspect in the Hafizabad district. The FIA’s Gujrat circle has received at least ten separate reports of human trafficking involving the suspect, according to the spokesperson.

Case Overview

The 12 Pakistani nationals who were planning to travel to Europe were scammed out of Rs1.8 million by the suspect and his accomplices in 2021.

Firstly, the people were flown to Nigeria. Next, they were flown to Niger, from which they illegally crossed into Libya. When they got to Libya, they were kept in terrible safe houses until they were taken by boat to Italy.

Sadly, the boat carrying these people sank, and it is thought that everyone on board was dead. After the event, several FIRs were filed with the FIA’s Gujrat circle. The matter is still under investigation, according to an FIA official.

Campaign Launched

The goal of the campaign is to stop illegal human trafficking. The Sialkot International Airport and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) have put up banners against it.

Since the majority of Pakistani expats were from the Gujranwala and Gujrat regions, an official from the FIA stated that an awareness campaign had been initiated at the airport as part of the continuing effort to combat human trafficking in these areas.

He mentioned that the airport’s boarding halls, passenger lounge, and immigration desks featured the awareness materials.

Additionally, he mentioned that monthly awareness seminars were being held in rural regions to discourage young people from becoming victims of human traffickers.

The standees also include a warning about the consequences of traveling with fraudulent documents and visas, including jail and fines.

In the past week, 27 charges of human trafficking were filed and 17 people traffickers were arrested, according to the FIA Gujranwala. Additionally, 38 individuals, including 5 beggars, were allegedly offloaded at Sialkot airport.