In a significant development in the investigation of the tragic 2025 Libya boat disaster, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Kohat Zone has arrested two key members of an international human trafficking network. The suspects, Habibur Rehman and Naveed Ahmed, were apprehended during a raid in Pusht Bazaar, Bajaur. This network, operating with accomplices based in Italy, has been linked to smuggling people to Europe through illegal channels.
The gang was involved in organizing perilous journeys for migrants, including 14 individuals from Kurram who tragically lost their lives in the boat accident. According to officials, Rehman and Ahmed defrauded a citizen, Shehzad Hussain, of Rs3.7 million, promising him safe passage to Europe. Hussain was among the victims who perished in the tragic disaster.
Also Read: 63 Pakistanis Feared Dead in Libya Boat Tragedy
During the raid, authorities seized four mobile phones containing vital evidence, including videos, messages, and bank transactions. This led to the freezing of three bank accounts connected to the suspects. Preliminary investigations revealed that victims were held in safe houses in Libya, subjected to abuse, and later forced onto the ill-fated boat.
The FIA, working closely with Interpol, is continuing its investigation and collaborating internationally to arrest fugitive traffickers abroad. FIA Kohat Zone Director has pledged that the crackdown on human traffickers will intensify, with intelligence-based operations underway to dismantle these dangerous networks.
In a related case, five Pakistani nationals who returned from Mauritania after refusing to travel illegally to Europe have exposed another gang involved in smuggling people abroad. The passengers, interrogated by immigration staff at Karachi Airport, revealed that they had been lured with promises of reaching Europe for sums between Rs2.5 and 3.5 million.
