ISLAMABAD - Total of 7,430 cases of human trafficking have been registered in the country during last two years, Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal told the National Assembly on Monday.

In his written reply, the Minister said that in 2016, total of 3349 cases of human trafficking were registered in Punjab, 140 in KP, 77 in Sindh, 181 in Balochistan and 349 were registered in Islamabad.

He said that in 2017, total of 2,784 cases were filed in Punjab, 85 in KP, 82 in

Sindh, 59 in Balochistan and 324 cases were listed in the capital.

Replying to Dr Shazia Sobia’s question, the Minister said that the video of murder of 15 innocent Pakistani nationals in Turbat, Balochistan has been uploaded on social media on November 15, 2017.

He said the deceased belonged to different districts of Gujranwala Division and were en-route to cross Pak-Iran border illegally with facilitation of local as well as cross border human smugglers and agents for their journey to Europe via land route passing through Iran, Turkey and Greece.

After three days on 18-11-2017, another media report was flashed according to which five more innocent persons were killed in District Kech, Turbat Balochistan by unknown murderers.

These five persons were also residents of Gujranwala Division and they were being smuggled to Europe vis Iran, Turkey and Greece. They were in Balochistan to cross Pak-Iran border illegally with the facilitation of local as well as cross border human smugglers.

Iqbal said that FIA immediately took action and initiated legal proceedings against the human smugglers.

It was unearthed that these deceased intending emigrants were taken to Quetta on 31-10-2017 through bus from Gujrat by local agents.  They were then to be taken to Iran after crossing the Pak-Iran border illegally with the help of local agents based in Quetta and also the agents in Iran.

The agents in Turkey, Greece, Italy and Germany were also in contact with the local agents in Quetta and those in Iran for getting the innocent intending emigrants to Italy and Germany through land route of Iran, Turkey and Greece.

He said that seven FIRs were registered while 17 agents were identified and seven among them were arrested.

He said that two identified agents are presently residing abroad while one agent has been identified by FIA/Balochistan, during investigation and 14 Iranian agents have also been identified.

Letters have been issued to INTERPOL and Ministry of Foreign Affairs to contact Iranian police for apprehending 14 Iranian agents.