FIA foils sex trafficking bid at Karachi Airport

KARACHI: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Immigration thwarted an attempt to traffic a woman for sexual exploitation, offloading three passengers, including two women, from a United Arab Emirates (UAE) bound flight at Jinnah International Airport on Sunday.

According to an FIA spokesperson, the action exposed an organised network involved in human smuggling and sexual exploitation.

The passengers were identified as a female victim named Sumaira and two alleged human traffickers, Nosheen Ishaq and her husband Jamshed Iqbal, who were attempting to take her to the UAE.

Initial investigations revealed that the gang intended to subject the woman to sexual exploitation abroad. On the victim’s identification, two more facilitators, Asim and Noman, were also arrested.

The FIA stated that the victim had been recruited by a woman named Shamila through Facebook and WhatsApp, where she was promised a monthly salary of Rs150,000.

Shamila, along with her accomplices Nosheen Ishaq and Jamshed Iqbal, arranged the victim’s travel to the UAE. The suspects have previously facilitated the travel of several women to the UAE under similar circumstances.

During a raid at Shamila’s flat in Azam Town, Karachi, the FIA recovered multiple pieces of evidence, including mobile phones containing WhatsApp chats, photographs, and financial transaction records.

Muhammad Asim and Noman allegedly provided travel arrangements and transportation support to the passengers.

FIA spokesperson said that all suspects have been handed over to the FIA Anti-Human Trafficking Circle, Karachi, for further investigation.