FIA arrests most wanted human traffickers named in Red Book

LAHORE: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Anti-Human Trafficking Circle Karachi has arrested a most wanted human trafficker named in the Red Book (a document listing high-profile human smugglers), absconding for the past eight years, ARY News reported.

According to FIA spokesperson, the accused, identified as Mazhar Iqbal, was arrested from Kot Lakhpat Jail, Lahore, by the FIA team. He was wanted in five cases by FIA Karachi.

FIA stated that Mazhar Iqbal had cheated people of millions of rupees by promising them jobs abroad and had been absconding for the past eight years.

Mazhar Iqbal had completed his sentence in jail and was released. However, Karachi anti-human trafficking circle him another case, further investigation into the matter.

In a separate incident, FIA arrested a most wanted human trafficker whose name was placed on its red book.

READ: FIA issues Red Book of ‘most wanted’ human smugglers

The FIA’s Islamabad wing, under supervision of Deputy Director Saim Sultan, conducted an operation in Rawalpindi and arrested a most wanted human trafficker – Khurram Iqbal – whose name was placed on its red book for the year 2023.

Khurram Iqbal was involved in a web of crimes related to human trafficking and had faced more than five cases. The authorities had also launched over 11 ongoing inquiries into his illicit activities.

The arrested accused was involved in duping innocent victims by promising to facilitate their travel abroad. Under this pretence, he extorted millions of rupees from his victims.

Last year, the FIA issued the Red Book containing names of the most wanted human smugglers.

Also read: FIA arrests five human smugglers from Gujranwala, Gujrat

The Red Book includes the names of 156 high-profile human smugglers and several cases are registered against these human smugglers in FIA human trafficking circles.

Furthermore, 20 human traffickers are wanted FIA Lahore zone, 71 in Faisalabad zone, and 34 in the Islamabad zone whereas two human smugglers are wanted in Balochistan and KP zones each.