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       GUJRAT: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) claims to have arrested a ‘most wanted’ trafficker who was also a proclaimed offender in multiple cases of human trafficking in Gujrat.

       A senior official of FIA Gujranwala Zone told Dawn that Yasir Mahmood was apprehended by FIA crime circle Gujrat.

       He said the accused was wanted in multiple cases, registered under FIR No. 160/23, 188/23, 190/23, 214/23, and 236/23 u/s 17/22 EO 1979 and 3/6 PSMA 2018 at FIA Gujrat police station.

       The accused, he said, was included in Red Book of year 2023 as most wanted trafficker.

       A spokesman for FIA said in 2023, the accused, along with his accomplices extorted Rs2.4 million each from five people intending to migrate to Europe.

       These individuals were initially flown to Libya via Egypt and Dubai.

       Once in Libya, they were held in a safe house under deplorable conditions before being transported by boat to Italy.

       Tragically, the boat carrying these individuals sank, and all on board are presumed dead and consequently, five FIRs were registered at FIA Gujrat police station.

       He said the FIA raiding team was being led by assistant director Muhammad Yousaf and further investigation was underway.

       Meanwhile, FIA has also arrested three more human traffickers from Gujranwala and Wazirabad districts who were wanted in different cases of illegal human trafficking.

       Published in Dawn, November 14th, 2024