SARGODHA: The police claimed to have arrested the prime accused of the Greece boat incident from Phularwan area of Sargodha.
The police disclosed the arrest of Yasir Bilal, said to be affiliated with an international racket of human smugglers.
The Phularwan police arrested accused Yasir Balil and recovered illegal arms from his possession. The police claimed that during questioning, the suspect had accepted to be the prime accused of the Greece boat incident.
The police after formalities handed over the accused to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA). The accused had received millions of rupees from the victims of the June boat tragedy and facilitated them to board the ill-fated boat that capsized in Greece’s territorial waters, leaving several youths dead.
He has been a key accused in two FIRs registered by the FIA and was at large after the incident. The law enforcement agencies have been searching for other accomplices of the accused.
Last year in June, an Italy-bound fishing trawler reportedly carrying at least 800 people — including hundreds of Pakistanis — capsized off Greece coast. Only 104 people are known to have survived in the incident.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had directed authorities concerned to hold an inquiry into the human trafficking that led to the tragic incident of migrants’ shipwreck near Greece with several Pakistani nationals onboard. He had directed concerned authorities for an immediate crackdown against agents involved in the heinous crime of human trafficking and called for bringing them to justice.
‘Three Members Of Hawala Hundi Gang Arrested’
Meanwhile, the FIA arrested three members of an organized hawala-hundi gang from Dera Ghazi Khan.
The FIA spokesperson said that the apprehended individuals identified as: Ali Haider, Muhammad Khan, Abdul Aziz and a substantial amount of Rs5.9 million, Debt cards, cheque books and mobile phones were also seized from the suspects possession.
Earlier, the FIA claimed to have arrested a total of seven individuals, including four wanted culprits, allegedly involved in human trafficking and operating illegal money exchange business.
