On May 17, 2025, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) arrested four Pakistani nationals at Karachi airport upon their deportation from the United Arab Emirates (UAE). These individuals, hailing from Hafizabad, Mandi Bahauddin, and Gujranwala, had been convicted in the UAE for involvement in human trafficking and related illegal activities. After serving their sentences, they were repatriated to Pakistan on emergency passports and subsequently taken into custody by the FIA’s Anti-Human Trafficking Circle for further legal proceedings.
This operation is part of an ongoing nationwide crackdown on human smuggling networks, intensified following a tragic boat capsizing near Greece in December 2024, which resulted in the deaths of over 80 Pakistani migrants. In response, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif directed authorities to take stringent action against human traffickers and any officials complicit in such activities. Since then, the FIA has arrested numerous suspects and dismissed over 30 officers implicated in facilitating illegal migration.