ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday directed authorities to ramp up efforts in the fight against human smugglers and traffickers following the arrest of Usman Jajja, the notorious leader of the Jajja gang involved in human trafficking.
In a statement, the Prime Minister commended the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and Intelligence Bureau (IB) for their successful operation that led to the capture of Jajja, a key figure responsible for the deaths of numerous Pakistanis in the Greece boat tragedy in December 2024.
“Human trafficking not only results in the loss of precious lives but also severely damages the country’s international reputation,” Prime Minister Sharif said, emphasising the gravity of the issue during a meeting with senior officials of FIA and IB.
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The Prime Minister was briefed on the ongoing operations conducted by FIA and IB to combat human trafficking, and he expressed his appreciation for their diligent work. To reward the officials involved in the operation, Sharif awarded them a cash prize of one million rupees each.
According to FIA, Usman Jajja, a resident of Sialkot, had been evading arrest after being granted bail earlier. However, he was apprehended by FIA on March 10, 2025, in connection with multiple cases of human trafficking. He is also a key suspect in the fatal Greece boat incident last year.
Usman Jajja had earlier escaped the arrest after being released from Sialkot district jail on bail. Jajja s/o Muhammad Yousaf r/o Mohrikay Jajja, Pasrur tehsil, has been arrested in at least 19 cases i.e., 1096/24, 1123/24, 1124/24, 1137/24, 1150/24, 1152/24, 1133/24, 1105/24, 1122/24, 1106/24, 1116/24, 9/25, 10/25, 40/25, 41/25, 42/25, 43/25, 44/25 & 45/25 registered u/s 17/22 EO 3/6 PSMA of FIA Gujranwala.
The official said that the suspect is a member of the notorious Khurram Jajja group which is involved in Greece boat incident 2024.
The suspect had fled to Gilgit-Baltistan after being released from Sialkot jail as he was arrested by the police in a case of violent clash and the tragic incident of deaths in Greece boat capsize occurred when he was in jail, he said.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
