PESHAWAR: Including government officials, nine human traffickers were busted by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) in a raid conducted at the protectorate office in Peshawar.
A statement issued by the FIA Peshawar circle on Tuesday, said that FIA anti-human trafficking Circle, Peshawar conducted a raid at protectorate office in Peshawar and arrested 9 persons, including two officials of the protectorate and recovered cash bribe they had taken from the citizens.
It said the alleged human traffickers (agents) had taken the money from the citizens with the help of officials of the protectorate Peshawar on the pretext of providing protector services.
FIA identified the accused as Aziz Ur Rehman, Adil Badshah, Abdul Khaliq, Muhammad Younis and Munsif.
It mentioned that accused Zaid, Yasir Shah, Atiq Ur Rehman and Mohammad Faisal were arrested red-handed with the cash (bribe) they had taken from citizens.
It said the suspects belonged to the different parts of Peshawar.
According to the FIA statement, arrested accused, Mohammad Faisal and Atiq Ur Rehman were serving as briefing officers at the protectorate office.
FIA claimed in the statement to have recovered Pakistani passports, Visa copies, letter pads and huge cash from the suspects’ possession during the raid and in initial interrogation, alleged wrongdoers revealed that they were receiving double fee for providing protector support to the citizens.
The FIA Peshawar said it had lodged a case against the alleged accused and began further investigation into the case.
The government of Pakistan has recently launched a crackdown on human traffickers and corrupt officials involved in illegal emigration is a crucial step towards preventing further tragedies like the recent boat capsizing incidents that claimed the lives of many Pakistanis attempting to reach European shores.
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