Pakistani Embassy in Iraq Alerts FIA to Surge in Illegal Migration. The Pakistani Embassy in Iraq has raised concerns about the alarming rise in illegal migration, prompting the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to take action against agents responsible for sending over 50,000 Pakistanis to Iraq unlawfully.
Following the embassy’s formal communication highlighting the issue, the FIA has initiated a crackdown on the agents involved in these illegal activities. The agency’s headquarters has dispatched directives to its Gujranwala and Islamabad zones, urging them to identify and pursue those facilitating this unlawful migration.
According to the embassy’s September letter, agents charged individuals between Rs500,000 and Rs600,000 with false promises of job opportunities. Many of these migrants now face dire circumstances, including reports of exploitation, harassment, and abuse.
The letter also named specific agents who trafficked individuals using two passports. It highlighted that many illegally residing Pakistanis have become involved in begging, theft, drug trafficking, and smuggling.
Particularly concerning is the situation of illegally residing Pakistani women, who are often found working in beauty salons and households. The letter indicates that these women have been subjected to mental and physical abuse by Iraqi men and, at times, by other Pakistanis.
Additionally, it was noted that passports of group-arriving pilgrims are retained by their delegates or Iraqi immigration authorities, only to be returned when all group members leave together.
The Iraqi foreign minister has consistently stressed the necessity for legal measures to tackle the influx of undocumented Pakistani nationals. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been urged to work in conjunction with the FIA and other relevant agencies to expedite legal actions against the involved agents, while efforts to protect and repatriate affected Pakistani citizens continue.
