Kohat: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Kohat Zone has arrested two operatives of an international human smuggling gang involved in the recent Libya boat tragedy. The suspects have been identified as Habib ur Rehman and Naveed Ahmed.
Acting on the directives of Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, authorities have intensified the crackdown against human traffickers. Investigations revealed that the arrested suspects were linked to a network operating from Italy.
The FIA apprehended the accused in a raid at Pusht Bazaar, Bajaur. Both suspects were involved in the Libya boat disaster earlier this month, which resulted in the deaths of 14 victims from Kurram. The gang had fraudulently extorted Rs. 3.7 million from a citizen, Shehzad Hussain, promising to send him to Europe. They also took large sums of money from other victims in collaboration with their overseas associates.
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The investigation further revealed that the gang’s ringleaders, Wajid Ali and Shah Faisal, were running human smuggling operations from Italy. The victims were reportedly detained in safe houses in Libya, where they were subjected to torture before being forced onto the ill-fated boat.
Authorities have also seized four mobile phones from the arrested suspects, containing videos, pictures, messages, and bank transaction records. Additionally, three bank accounts linked to the accused have been frozen.
The FIA has launched a full-scale investigation and is seeking the assistance of Interpol to apprehend the gang members operating from abroad.
According to the Director of FIA Kohat Zone, the crackdown on human traffickers will continue, utilizing all available resources. Intelligence-based operations are underway to dismantle these networks, ensuring that those responsible for endangering innocent lives face strict legal action.
