KARACHI: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Friday offloaded a mother and her two daughters at Jinnah International Airport over concerns about the alleged sexual exploitation of a minor and possible human trafficking, an FIA spokesperson said.
According to the spokesperson, FIA Immigration officials took action during a detailed examination of the travel documents and purpose of travel of the three passengers, who were bound for Dubai.
During questioning, one of the daughters, identified as Maira, said she was around 16 to 17 years old and alleged that her parents had overstated her age in her passport and identity documents.
She further claimed that she had been involved in sexual activities at clubs and hotels in the UAE.
The initial inquiry also revealed WhatsApp conversations on the mother’s mobile phone with an alleged agent identified as Haris.
The messages reportedly discussed visa arrangements, air tickets and travel expenses. They also contained references to increasing the girls’ monthly earnings to Rs600,000 and discussions involving other girls, which require further verification and forensic examination, the spokesperson said.
According to the FIA, the agent allegedly provided financial assistance for the passengers’ travel arrangements. Investigators also found a receipt for a bank transaction of Rs400,000 on the mother’s phone, reportedly transferred to an account belonging to the girls’ father, Maqsood Ali.
The nature and purpose of the financial transactions, as well as their possible connection to the alleged activities, are being investigated.
Officials are also examining information relating to the alleged agent, the travel agency involved, travel documents, bank accounts and digital evidence recovered from mobile phones. Further inquiries will seek to establish whether other girls may have been affected and determine the roles of the parents and other individuals involved.
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The three passengers are being referred to the FIA’s Anti-Human Trafficking Circle (AHTC) for further investigation, forensic analysis of digital evidence and necessary legal action, the spokesperson said.
The FIA said investigations into suspected human trafficking, the possible sexual exploitation of a minor and the alleged involvement of facilitators were under way.
