Travel agent booked for smuggling drugs through Umrah pilgrims

A travel agent from Karachi on Friday was accused of smuggling intoxicating drugs to Saudi Arabia under the guise of his mother’s critical illness.

The Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) Human Trafficking Circle filed a case against Abdul Shakoor, alias Shahzaib Naqshbandi, for his involvement in the illicit scheme. According to the deputy director of the FIA’s Anti-Human Trafficking Circle, Ali Murad Baladi, several Umrah pilgrims from Karachi lodged complaints after some of their relatives were arrested in Saudi Arabia on charges of drug smuggling.

The complainants, including Nazia Nazim, Mahmooda Bano, Niaz Muhammad and others, reported that their travel arrangements, including visas, tickets, and accommodation, had been organized by Abdul Shakoor, a Kharadar-based travel agent, for Rs265,000 per person.

Upon reaching the airport, Shakoor and his accomplice, Junaid, allegedly approached the pilgrims and claimed that Shakoor’s mother was critically ill in Saudi Arabia. They pleaded with the pilgrims to deliver medicine packets to help save her life, asserting that the necessary medicines were unavailable in the kingdom. The pilgrims, unaware of the illicit contents, agreed to carry the packages.

However, upon arrival at the Saudi Arabian airport, several of the pilgrims — including Nazim Khan, Sameer, and Khurram Ameen — were arrested for smuggling drugs and are currently imprisoned in Saudi jails.

The FIA, after consolidating all the complaints, initiated an inquiry that uncovered significant evidence against Abdul Shakoor and his accomplice, Junaid. A formal case (No 311/24) has been registered, and authorities are conducting raids to apprehend the accused.

Attempts were made to contact via mobile phone numbers of the accused, but the numbers were switched off. Efforts to reach his father and brother, on their phone numbers, were also unsuccessful.

In connection with this case, in a video of the accused, Abdul Shakoor alias Shahzaib, which has been received by Daily Jang's correspondent, he accepts full responsibility for the matter. However, he places the blame on another accomplice, stating that the medicines were sent to Saudi Arabia by them. He e claims that the other staff at his office had no knowledge of the matter. According to FIA officials, Abdul Shakoor was summoned multiple times during the investigation, and efforts were also made to contact him at his office, but he was unavailable.