n a disquieting twist of events, human traffickers targeted Pakistani migrants endeavoring to transit via Iran en route to Europe. Per Dawn’s report on Sunday, these traffickers resorted to coercion and inflicting suffering upon them while also demanding ransom.
The method involved local migrants collaborating with international traffickers to apprehend those aspiring to reach Europe within Iran. The victims endured captivity, torment, and were subjected to filming in order to extort money for their release. According to Dawn, three incidents of this nature were reported last month, involving up to 10 young men who were subjected to torture and confinement by these syndicates.
Some managed to secure their freedom by paying ransom, while others were liberated by Iranian authorities in coordination with the Pakistani embassy in Tehran. The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) noted a disturbing trend wherein local criminal groups, in league with their overseas counterparts, orchestrate the illegal migration process and detain individuals abroad to extort hefty sums.
Last month, Muhammad Husnain, a resident of Hafizabad, along with his cousin Faisal and neighbor Anwar, embarked on a journey to Iran with the intention of reaching Europe. They traveled alongside agent Muhammad Sarwar, who assured to facilitate their journey to Greece via Turkey from Iran. Upon arrival in Tehran, Sarwar demanded $2,500 from each of them to facilitate their journey to Europe.
Unable to procure the required funds, Sarwar took them to a three-story residence in Tehran, under the guise of arranging their travel for a nominal fee. Husnain recounted their ordeal to Dawn, stating, “Upon reaching the residence, we were subdued by the occupants and confined to a small room. After 24 hours, several individuals wearing masks provided us with water before subjecting us to brutal torture. They recorded the ordeal and sent the footage to our families in Pakistan, demanding $5,000 for our release.”
The captors treated their victims inhumanely, according to the report. “Upon learning that our families couldn’t meet their demands, their cruelty escalated. They mutilated Faisal’s ear, inflicted burns on Anwar’s hand, and inserted nails into my feet. Electric shocks were also employed for torture, with videos sent to our families, who eventually paid a total of PKR 300,000 via ‘Easypaisa’ to a designated individual,” Husnain recounted. Subsequently, the captives were segregated into individual rooms.
Meanwhile, Husnain’s family sought assistance from the Overseas Pakistanis Foundation, which engaged with the Pakistani embassy in Tehran. The embassy liaised with Iranian authorities and alerted the FIA in Gujrat for further investigation. Husnain managed to escape from his captors before the Iranian police could intervene, with the aid of a Pakistani taxi driver who facilitated his contact with his family.
Faisal and Anwar were eventually rescued by Iranian authorities and handed over to the Pakistani embassy, where they received medical attention. Aftab Ahmad Butt, the FIA Liaison Officer in Tehran, revealed that Pakistani traffickers, in collaboration with Afghan and Iranian counterparts, were involved in these reprehensible acts. He emphasized the need for awareness regarding the operations of human traffickers in Pakistan.
Ambassador Mudassar Tipu played a pivotal role in facilitating the rescue of Pakistani nationals, maintaining close communication with Iranian authorities. “There is an imperative to raise awareness about the modus operandi of human traffickers operating within Pakistan,” he asserted. The Pakistani embassy communicated these incidents to the FIA, urging stringent action against the network of traffickers operating both domestically and abroad.