FIA Arrests 6 Suspects, Including Key Human Traffickers Involved in Libya Boat Tragedy

Islamabad: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has arrested six suspects, including highly sought-after human traffickers, in connection with the tragic boat accident off the coast of Libya. According to the FIA, the arrested individuals were involved in the illegal trafficking of innocent citizens abroad.
The suspects have been identified as Muhammad Arshad, Sohaib Ali Hashmat, Ahmed Nawaz, Zulfiqar, Mazhar Khan, and Mansha. Among them, Ahmed Nawaz, Muhammad Arshad, Mazhar Khan, and Mansha are implicated in the deadly boat tragedy that occurred in 2023. These individuals were involved in luring unsuspecting citizens with promises of foreign employment and smuggling them out of the country.
The FIA reported that the suspects were arrested in various locations, including Sargodha, Faisalabad, and Islamabad. Ahmed Nawaz, a member of an international human trafficking ring, was apprehended in a raid in Sargodha. Nawaz has multiple cases registered against him for human trafficking under the Anti-Human Trafficking laws in Rawalpindi. He is accused of defrauding nine victims of the Libya boat incident, collecting a total of Rs. 51.6 million from them. The victims were kept in safe houses in Libya before being sent on the ill-fated boat journey to Europe, where all of them perished.
Mansha, an absconding accused in the Libya boat tragedy case, was arrested in Jhang, Punjab. The FIA executed coordinated raids at three separate locations to capture him. Another suspect, Mazhar Khan, who is also implicated in the tragedy, was involved in offering fake employment opportunities to people and trafficking them illegally to Europe and other destinations. Khan is linked to human trafficking in countries such as Poland, Greece, Canada, and Latvia. He is also a listed suspect in the Anti-Money Laundering Circle in Faisalabad.
Notorious agent Sohaib Ali Hashmat was also arrested in a raid in E-11, Islamabad. Hashmat, a fugitive, is wanted in several human trafficking and visa fraud cases. Meanwhile, Zulfiqar, another major human trafficker, was apprehended in Islamabad. He is involved in multiple trafficking cases and is accused of extorting large sums of money from individuals by promising to send them abroad illegally.
The FIA has begun interrogating the arrested individuals and continues to conduct raids to capture other suspects involved in the racket. FIA Islamabad Zone Director, Shehzad Bukhari, emphasized that the crackdown on those responsible for boat tragedies is ongoing. All available resources are being utilized to arrest human traffickers and ensure they face appropriate legal consequences.
“The FIA is committed to taking strict action against anyone exploiting the lives of innocent people. With solid evidence, we will ensure that the perpetrators are given the punishments they deserve,” he said.