Sialkot, Pakistan. Pakistani authorities stopped seven passengers at Sialkot International Airport on Wednesday during an investigation into suspected migrant smuggling, including four Pakistani nationals allegedly planning to reach Cyprus through Saudi Arabia.
According to Dawn, immigration officials removed the passengers from flights after finding they were allegedly travelling to Saudi Arabia on Umrah visas while intending to continue onwards to Europe.
Alleged Cyprus route
Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency said the four men were planning to reach Cyprus through an organised smuggling arrangement.
Authorities said WhatsApp messages from one passenger indicated that a relative living in Cyprus had agreed to arrange transportation for 1.8 million Pakistani rupees per person, around €5,500 each.
Payments and investigation
Investigators said the four men had already paid advances of one million Pakistani rupees each and that evidence of bank transactions had been recovered.
The FIA’s anti-human trafficking unit has taken over the investigation into the alleged network.
Documents recovered
The passengers had initially been booked to travel to Saudi Arabia on religious visas, but checks raised suspicions about their intended destination, officials said.
The FIA said fake visas and citizenship documents from different countries were also recovered during the operation.
Pakistani officials said smugglers often use legitimate travel arrangements, including religious visas, to move individuals before arranging onward travel through irregular channels.
