Job Scam
KARACHI: Hundreds of Pakistani citizens have become victims of a large-scale employment scam in Cambodia, where they were deceived with promises of high-paying jobs but ended up being held captive and subjected to violence.
According to Nauman Siddiqui, Director of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) in Karachi, the scammers are advertising attractive job opportunities in the fields of IT, call centers, and engineering through social media platforms.
These fraudulent job offers primarily target young Pakistanis who are desperate for better employment opportunities. The operation is reportedly being carried out by Indian agents, particularly active in some Middle Eastern countries, who lure Pakistanis with the promise of salaries ranging from $1,000 to $2,000.
FIA sources revealed that the recruitment process is also being conducted in major cities like Lahore and Karachi. In recent weeks, more than 20 Pakistani victims, including a woman, have been deported from Cambodia with the help of emergency travel documents provided by the Pakistani embassy.
Karachi’s Anti-Human Trafficking Circle (AHTC) has taken action against the perpetrators. Based on testimonies from the deported victims, two cases have been registered, and 14 inquiries have been initiated.
According to AHTC Karachi SHO Sohail Mehmood Sheikh, once the victims arrive in Cambodia, their passports are confiscated, and they are forced into illegal work. Many of them are held captive in fraudulent call centers and remote areas where they are subjected to forced labor.
Some victims have managed to escape and reach out to the Pakistani embassy for assistance. As a result of complaints filed by the Pakistani mission, Cambodian authorities launched an operation two weeks ago, successfully rescuing over 100 Pakistanis from these illegal centers.
However, a large number of victims are still stranded in remote areas, reportedly being held hostage and subjected to violence.
The majority of those who fell prey to this scam belong to Punjab. FIA officials have confirmed that some foreign nationals based in Karachi and Lahore are suspected of being part of this human trafficking network and are currently under investigation.
This alarming situation highlights the growing issue of human trafficking and the exploitation of vulnerable individuals seeking better opportunities abroad. Pakistani authorities are now working closely with Cambodian officials to rescue the remaining victims and bring the culprits to justice.
