ISLAMABAD: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Islamabad Zone has launched a crackdown on a trafficking network accused of holding Pakistani citizens from Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) hostage in Cambodia and forcing them into bonded labour.
According to the agency, the FIA Composite Circle Gilgit arrested two suspects — Adnan Aslam and Inamullah — for allegedly luring GB residents abroad through fake job offers and coercing them into illegal online work schemes. Aslam was detained in Hunza, while Inamullah, who attempted to flee to China, was deported and taken into custody on arrival.
Investigators said they contacted the victims and their families to assist in identifying the suspects. The arrested individuals and their accomplices allegedly confined Pakistani citizens in a building near the Vietnam border, where they were forced to work on online scams. Victims’ families reportedly paid between $2,000 and $5,300 in ransom to secure their release.
The FIA said the network conducted online interviews to deceive jobseekers, dispatching them to Cambodia via Lahore airport. Upon arrival, victims had their passports seized and were forced into labour, while agents demanded hefty ransoms from their families in Pakistan.
A 12-day physical remand has been granted for the suspects, and further investigation is ongoing. The FIA has also formed special teams to track down other members of the trafficking ring, stating that all available resources are being mobilised to pursue the case.
