ISLAMABAD, 6 September 2006 — Pakistan’s Federal investigation Agency arrested four Saudi nationals and a Pakistani man accompanying them as they tried to enter Pakistan from neighboring Iran without visas, official sources told Arab News yesterday.
The Saudis, aged between 19 and 25, were arrested near Taftan, a Pakistani town near the Iranian border. They all hail from Riyadh. They had come to Pakistan to get admitted to a madrasa, sources said. The Saudi men had valid visas for Iran but did not have permission to enter Pakistan. Border security officials in Taftan are questioning them. They could face jail or fines for entering Pakistan without visas. It was not immediately clear what charges, if any, the Pakistani man could face.
Human Trafficking
Pakistan will share information with 66 countries on human trafficking, Federal Interior Minister Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao said after opening a joint working group meeting of four countries here yesterday.
He said Pakistan would provide a list of “most wanted” people to the member countries of the group and other nations with whom Pakistan has similar arrangements. The meeting is being attended by Iran, Turkey and Greece and Pakistan.
Sherpao said, “We intend to have similar arrangements with Afghanistan. We have invited Afghanistan to become a member of the Joint Working Group on Human Trafficking at the next meeting of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) countries.
Sherpao, who also heads the Anti-Narcotics Force said, “Names of drug smugglers will be put on the list which Pakistan will exchange with 66 countries. The list will also contain names of terrorists.” Pakistan formed the Anti-Human Trafficking Group last year to curb the flow of illegal job seekers to Iran, Turkey and other European countries.
Qadeer to Undergo Operation
Nuclear scientist Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan, who is suffering from cancer, will undergo an operation at the Aga Khan Hospital in Karachi, sources told Arab News.
