ISLAMABAD: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has dismissed 51 officers over the past three years for their alleged involvement in human smuggling, according to a report presented in the Senate.
The Interior Ministry revealed that six FIA officers were removed in 2022, followed by four in 2023. However, the most significant crackdown occurred in 2024, with 41 officers being dismissed for colluding with human traffickers.
The report also stated that 110 departmental inquiries were initiated against FIA officials suspected of aiding smuggling networks. As a result, two officers were forcibly retired, while 13 received minor penalties.
The crackdown intensified after the tragic capsizing of a boat carrying illegal migrants near Greece in December last year. The incident, which claimed the lives of several Pakistanis, prompted Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to order swift action against both traffickers and officials facilitating them.
Since then, a nationwide operation has led to the arrests of numerous suspects involved in human trafficking. Some of the dismissed FIA officials, however, claim they are being used as scapegoats and have called for a fair investigation to ensure accountability is placed on the actual facilitators within the agency.
Earlier in January, authorities blacklisted 65 FIA officers, barring them from serving at immigration checkpoints or anti-human trafficking units due to their suspected involvement in human smuggling. The blacklisted officials included three deputy directors, two assistant directors, four inspectors, 15 sub-inspectors, 13 assistant sub-inspectors, 20 head constables, eight constables, and one clerk. Most were from FIA’s Karachi and Gujranwala zones.
In an effort to sustain the crackdown, the government has tasked the Intelligence Bureau (IB) with regularly reporting on the progress of actions taken against human traffickers and corrupt officials. The move is part of broader efforts to dismantle illegal migration networks and restore accountability within law enforcement agencies.
