The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) immigration unit at Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport has taken a Pakistani passenger into custody who was allegedly a victim of human smuggling.
The passenger, Usman Umar, had returned from Senegal via Ethiopia after a failed attempt to reach Europe through illegal means.
According to FIA sources, Usman Umar initially travelled from Lahore airport to Senegal on a visit visa last year. A human smuggler, identified as Chaudhry Taimur, lured him with a false promise of air travel to Spain in exchange for Rs2.5 million.
Upon reaching Senegal, the smuggler confiscated Usman Umar’s passport and kept him in a safe house for four months along with 13 other Pakistani nationals. Instead of sending him to Spain by air, the agent attempted to smuggle him to Europe by sea. However, Usman Umar refused to take the dangerous route and decided to return to Pakistan.
Upon arrival at Karachi Airport, FIA Immigration officials detained the passenger for questioning regarding the human smuggling network involved in his case. Authorities are now investigating the agents and networks operating behind such illegal migration schemes.
The FIA has been actively cracking down on human traffickers involved in smuggling Pakistanis to Europe, the Middle East, and other destinations through fraudulent means.
