Latest news with #Gujranwala
Arab News
26-07-2025
- Arab News
Pakistan arrests five suspects involved in human smuggling, defrauding citizens
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has arrested five suspects involved in human smuggling and defrauding citizens, it said on Saturday. The development comes amid a crackdown against agents involved in sending impoverished Pakistanis abroad through dangerous routes, luring them with a chance at a better life in Europe. The latest arrests were made by the FIA in different areas of Gujranwala and Gujrat districts for swindling citizens out of millions of rupees by offering fake visas and jobs abroad. 'The suspects were found involved in illegally sending innocent citizens abroad,' the FIA said in a statement, identifying the suspects as Rifaqat, Shabraiz, Muhammad Siddique, Muhammad Yasin and Qasim Shaheen. Rafaqat and Shabraiz took Rs2.4 million from a citizen for employment in Italy, but sent him to Kyrgyzstan from where he was deported, according to the agency. Siddique took over Rs2 million from a citizen for employment in Spain, while Yasin received more than Rs645,000 promising to find overseas employment to a citizen. Shaheen duped another man into paying Rs4 million for a job in the United Kingdom (UK). 'The accused had gone into hiding after receiving huge sums of money,' the FIA said, adding that an investigation has been launched against them. Earlier this month, the FIA said it had arrested an agent involved in the Morocco boat tragedy, in which dozens of Pakistanis attempting to travel illegally to Europe had drowned near the African country's coast. The boat had set off from Mauritania in January with 86 migrants on board, among them 66 Pakistanis, for the Canary Islands administered by Spain, international rights group Walking Borders had said. Moroccan authorities said on January 16 that 36 people were rescued from the vessel, while Pakistan confirmed survivors of the tragedy included 22 of its nationals. A record 10,457 migrants, or 30 people a day, died trying to reach Spain in 2024. Most of them died while attempting to cross the Atlantic route from West African countries such as Mauritania and Senegal to the Canary Islands, according to Walking Borders. In 2023, hundreds of migrants, including 262 Pakistanis, drowned when an overcrowded vessel sank in international waters off the southwestern Greek town of Pylos, marking one of the deadliest boat disasters ever recorded in the Mediterranean Sea. The Pakistani government has ramped up efforts in recent months to combat human smugglers facilitating dangerous journeys for illegal immigrants to Europe, resulting in several arrests. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has also urged increased collaboration with international agencies like Interpol to ensure swift action against human trafficking networks.
Malay Mail
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Malay Mail
TikTok stunt gone wild: Man parades lion while holding rifle through Pakistan streets, sparking panic and arrest
ISLAMABAD, May 27 — Pakistani authorities have confiscated two African lions after a man paraded one of them through the streets for a TikTok video, German Press Agency (dpa) reported. The incident caused panic and fear among residents over the weekend in Gujranwala district of Punjab province. The man was seen wielding an automatic rifle while walking along busy streets with the chained animal. 'We have arrested the man involved in the TikTok stunt and confiscated two African lions from his possession,' Mohammad Rizwan, spokesperson for Punjab Wildlife Department, told dpa on Tuesday. Rizwan said that the man could face up to seven years in prison for illegal possession of lions and putting lives of the public in danger. There are more than 100 private breeding houses in Punjab, and scores of people also keep big cats including tigers and cheetahs in their homes. 'No one is be allowed to keep lions at homes and in densely populated residential neighbourhoods,' Rizwan said. Last month, the government in Punjab launched an app asking people to register big cats in a bid to regulate ownership. The exact number of big cats in the province is not yet known. Earlier this year, a pet lion was shot dead after it escaped from its cage and roamed the streets in Lahore. The trade in wild animals is a roaring business in Pakistan. The demand is partly fuelled by internet videos showing owners coddling them and even parading big cats through public places and at political rallies as a symbol of power. — Bernama-dpa
Arab News
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
President Zardari visits troops in Gujranwala, lauds swift military response to Indian attack
ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari on Saturday praised the armed forces for swiftly repelling an Indian attack, saying they had changed the battlefield dynamics 'within a matter of hours' in a recent military confrontation. The comments came during a visit to Gujranwala Cantonment, where the president met with troops and top military leadership, including Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir. Zardari's remarks refer to Pakistan's military retaliation, launched in response to Indian missile and drone attacks last week in various parts of the country. The operation, according to Pakistani officials, culminated in a successful pushback that neutralized the threat and shifted the momentum on the ground. 'History will bear witness to how, within a matter of hours, the Pakistan Armed Forces repelled aggression with unmatched precision and resolve, sending an unequivocal message of Pakistan's strength, resilience and national unity,' Zardari said, according to a statement from the military's media wing. During his visit, the president paid tribute to both military personnel and civilians who lost their lives in defense of the country, calling their sacrifice 'a sacred trust and a source of enduring national pride.' He also congratulated troops on the conclusion of the military operation, praising their morale, combat readiness and commitment to safeguarding national sovereignty. The visit came amid heightened tensions between Pakistan and India following cross-border hostilities, though both sides have now been observing a fragile ceasefire. The president was also accompanied by interior minister Mohsin Naqvi and received at the cantonment by senior army commanders from Gujranwala and Mangla Corps.
