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Pakistanis Trapped in Cambodia Job Scam, FIA Investigates
Hundreds of Pakistanis are being trapped in Cambodia with fake job offers and forced into labor. FIA Karachi investigates human trafficking networks linked to Gulf countries.
ND
by News Desk
2025-03-15
Pakistanis Trapped in Cambodia Job Scam, FIA Investigates

Hundreds of Pakistani citizens have fallen victim to a human trafficking scam that lures them to Cambodia with fake job offers, only to be held hostage and subjected to forced labor. Authorities have launched an investigation into the growing network of traffickers operating in Pakistan and the Gulf region.

How the Scam Works

According to Director FIA Karachi Noman Siddiqui, traffickers advertise attractive jobs in the IT sector, call centers, engineering, and other professions on social media. Indian agents, particularly in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, reportedly target Pakistani youth, offering salaries between $1,000 and $2,000 to entice them.

FIA sources revealed that this scam is widespread in Lahore and Karachi, where many young people have been misled. In the past few weeks, more than 20 victims, including women, have been deported from Cambodia on emergency travel documents after escaping captivity.

Forced Labor and Hostage Conditions

According to SHO of Anti-Human Trafficking Circle Karachi, Sohail Mahmood Sheikh, traffickers confiscate passports of victims upon arrival in Cambodia and force them into illegal activities, especially in fraudulent call centers in remote areas.

Many victims who managed to escape contacted the Pakistani embassy, leading to the deportation of several individuals. Two weeks ago, local Cambodian authorities, acting on complaints from the Pakistani mission, raided illegal labor centers and rescued over 100 Pakistanis. However, many remain trapped in distant locations, unable to reach authorities.

FIA Expands Crackdown

Investigators suspect that foreign nationals operating from Karachi and Lahore are involved in this human trafficking network. FIA is currently tracking those responsible and has registered 14 inquiries and 2 cases related to the scam.

Authorities urge Pakistani citizens to be cautious of overseas job offers that seem too good to be true and verify employment opportunities through official government channels before traveling abroad.

Conclusion

With hundreds of Pakistanis still trapped in Cambodia, authorities are working to dismantle the trafficking network. Meanwhile, the FIA has intensified its efforts to curb human trafficking from Pakistan to Southeast Asia.
Tagged:

Pakistan

FIA

HumanTrafficking

CambodiaScam

JobFraud

IllegalRecruitment
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