Security forces have foiled an alleged attempt to smuggle people through Balochistan and detained 103 Afghan nationals, including women and children, in the Dana Sar area of Sherani district, the 24NewsHD TV channel reported on Wednesday.
According to security sources, the operation was carried out at the Dana Sar bypass after security forces received information about the movement of people allegedly being taken through the area by human smugglers.
The detained Afghan nationals were reportedly attempting to travel through Pakistan to Iran and then to Europe with the help of human smugglers, the sources said.
The detained individuals have been handed over to the relevant police authorities for further legal action, according to the security sources.
The number of undocumented Afghan nationals detained during operations over the past week has now reached 129, the sources said.
Separately, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi praised the Pakistan Navy and Pakistan Coast Guards for foiling a major smuggling attempt in the Pushkan area of Balochistan.
Naqvi commended the professionalism of the entire team involved in the joint operation. The interior minister said the Pakistan Navy and Pakistan Coast Guards had jointly foiled an attempt to smuggle a large quantity of goods.
Naqvi described smuggling as a serious threat to the national economy and said institutions were actively working to eliminate the practice.
He said a zero-tolerance policy against those involved in smuggling would continue to be strictly enforced.