Pakistan's FIA arrests human traffickers and gambling suspects

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has conducted two major operations in Pakistan targeting human trafficking and large-scale online gambling.

In a crackdown across Karachi and Balochistan, the FIA Anti-Human Trafficking Circle arrested two suspected traffickers, Baber Shahzad and Muhammad Imtiaz Malik. The agency also took 16 migrants into custody who were allegedly attempting to reach Europe via unauthorized land routes through Iran and Iraq, a path known as the ‘Dunki’ route. The suspects are accused of arranging logistics for substantial fees.

Separately, the FIA arrested two suspects linked to an online gambling network involving 11 companies. An investigation report indicates these companies recorded a combined credit turnover of approximately Rs120 billion. The suspects allegedly used dummy websites and business accounts, disguised as e-commerce or construction services, to facilitate illegal financial transactions and gambling activities.