GUJRANWALA: The Federal Investigation Agency has arrested a key suspect allegedly involved in the Greece boat tragedy, officials said on Thursday, calling it a “major breakthrough” in the ongoing crackdown on human smuggling networks operating from Punjab.
The suspect, identified as Saqib Jajja, is said to be the ringleader of the notorious Khurram Jajja gang. According to the FIA Gujranwala Zone spokesperson, the accused was wanted in 14 separate cases linked to the Greece boat incident and had been placed on the agency’s Red Book list of most-wanted human smugglers.
Officials said the accused had allegedly arranged the illegal travel of 14 Pakistanis to Greece via Libya. The boat later met with an accident in the Mediterranean, leaving five Pakistanis dead. Five others were deported, while four survived after enduring what investigators described as “extreme physical and mental trauma.”
An FIA officer involved in the investigation told Minute Mirror that the suspect had been on the run for nearly a year and had reportedly remained in hiding in Iran to evade arrest. “He tried to obtain pre-arrest bail after quietly returning to Pakistan, but the FIA challenged it in the high court,” the officer said, adding that the bail was dismissed, paving the way for his arrest.
The accused was taken into custody during a targeted operation in Gujranwala after his movements were traced through intelligence inputs. Officials said further arrests are expected as investigators widen the net around facilitators and agents linked to the network.
Director FIA Gujranwala Zone, Muhammad Bin Ashraf, said human smugglers who gamble with innocent lives for money deserve no leniency. “These agents exploit poor families by promising safe passage to Europe. We will take every individual involved in this heinous business to task,” he said.
Human smuggling through Libya has remained a recurring route for Pakistanis seeking illegal entry into Europe, often ending in tragedy. Despite repeated warnings from authorities, desperate families continue to fall prey to organized gangs operating across Punjab and other parts of the country.
FIA officials said the investigation into the 14 cases is ongoing and more disclosures are expected during interrogation.
