The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) announced the arrest of Abdul Shakoor, a Karachi-based human smuggler, on Friday, accusing him of collaborating with an Indian agent to illegally send people to Europe.
This arrest is part of a broader government crackdown on human trafficking, following a series of recent tragedies involving Pakistani migrants.
FIA confirmed that Shakoor had been working with Gautam Sharma, an Indian national based in Azerbaijan. Sharma coordinated the illegal movement of migrants from Azerbaijan to Poland. In connection with Shakoor, three other suspects—Hasib Ahmed, Qaiser Ahmed, and Usman Ali, all from Punjab province—were also arrested.
According to the FIA, Shakoor charged $5,028.89 per person for transportation to Poland, with each migrant paying an advance of $898.02. The agency also named organisations that facilitated the visa acquisition process for these migrants.
The latest arrest follows the deaths of five Pakistani nationals in a boat disaster near the Greek island of Gavdos earlier this month, reigniting concerns about the dangers of illegal migration.
This issue gained national attention last year after the deadly capsizing of a vessel off the Greek coast, where hundreds of migrants, including 262 Pakistanis, drowned during a perilous journey from Libya.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif chaired a meeting to review the country’s efforts to combat human smuggling on Friday.
He discussed the findings of a committee investigating the recent boat tragedy near Greece and called for the creation of a new task force, led by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, to develop long-term solutions to the human trafficking problem.
PM Shehbaz directed authorities to arrest all individuals involved in the human smuggling trade within a week and take immediate legal action.
He also raised concerns over the lack of disciplinary measures against government officials suspected of aiding smugglers and stressed the need for stricter visa checks and travel regulations for all outbound migrants.
The meeting also provided updates on the identification of Pakistani nationals involved in the Greek boat tragedy and the ongoing process of repatriating their bodies.
