ISLAMABAD: A total of 177 Pakistani nationals who illegally reached Libya in an attempt to travel to Europe have been deported back to Pakistan, sources in the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) said on Monday.According to FIA officials, the deportees arrived in Pakistan through a special flight and were subsequently shifted to the FIA Anti-Human Smuggling Cell in Islamabad for legal processing and investigation.Sources said the deported individuals had traveled to Libya through Iran and Saudi Arabia using illegal human smuggling routes, with many reportedly planning to reach European countries by sea.Among the deportees, 59 belong to Lahore, 58 to Gujrat, 26 to Rawalpindi, 23 to Gujranwala, 10 to Sialkot, while one individual is a resident of Islamabad.FIA sources further revealed that the agents involved in sending these individuals to Libya through illegal channels have been added to the agency’s Red Book as part of an intensified crackdown on human smuggling networks.Officials said the deportees would be handed over to relevant FIA zones across the country for further inquiry and legal proceedings.Authorities have repeatedly urged citizens to avoid illegal migration routes and warned that human trafficking networks continue to exploit people seeking employment and travel opportunities abroad.
