The Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) Anti-Human Trafficking Circle (AHTC) in Karachi has foiled an attempt to smuggle women abroad and detained 33 women during a targeted operation, officials said on Tuesday.
According to an FIA spokesperson, the operation was carried out on the instructions of senior officials of the Karachi Zone. Acting on a confirmed tip-off, FIA teams raided two hotels located near the Passport Office in Saddar.
During the operation, 33 women belonging to various districts of Punjab were taken into custody. Several suspected human traffickers and agents were also arrested at the scene.
Authorities recovered 29 passports along with other relevant documents from the possession of the suspects. Initial investigations revealed that the women were allegedly being sent to the United Arab Emirates on visit visas under false pretenses.
The FIA spokesperson stated that the victims were reportedly intended to be exploited for prostitution and other forms of sexual abuse.
The agency has registered three separate cases against the accused under the Prevention of Trafficking in Persons Act 2018. Those arrested include Zia-ul-Haq, Imtiaz Ali, Farman Ali and Sakina Bibi.
Further investigations are underway to identify additional members of the network and uncover the full scope of the trafficking operation, the spokesperson added.