FIA offloads woman at Multan Airport over illegal Italy travel plan
- By Mirza Ahmed Ali -
- Jul 30, 2026
MULTAN: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) offloaded a woman passenger at Multan International Airport, thwarting an alleged attempt to reach Italy through an illegal human trafficking network, an FIA spokesperson said on Thursday.
According to the spokesperson, the woman, identified as Saira Naheed, was travelling to Turkiye on a visit visa when she was stopped during immigration clearance after officials found her travel suspicious.
Initial investigations revealed that she allegedly planned to travel onward to Italy through illegal channels after arriving in Turkiye.
The FIA said the woman had been in contact with an agent based in Faisalabad, who allegedly promised to send her to Italy in exchange for a large sum of money.
According to investigators, the agent received an advance payment of Rs1 million, while the remaining amount was to be paid after the woman reached Italy.
The spokesperson said members of the trafficking network were expected to receive the woman in Turkiye before facilitating her illegal border crossing into Italy.
The passenger was offloaded and handed over to the FIA’s Anti-Human Trafficking Circle in Multan for further investigation. Authorities are also working to identify and arrest the agent and other members of the trafficking network.
Human trafficking victims are not criminals, says PM Shehbaz
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday said victims of human trafficking are not criminals but survivors of exploitation who deserve protection, compassion, and support as Pakistan observed the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons.
In a message issued on the occasion, the prime minister said Pakistan joined the international community in reaffirming its commitment to combating the global crime of human trafficking through collective and sustained efforts.
He described human trafficking as one of the gravest and most organised violations of human rights, saying it transcends national borders and exploits vulnerable individuals for criminal gain.
The prime minister noted that human trafficking was intrinsically linked to other forms of organised crime, including irregular migration, forged travel documents, money laundering and forced labour.