Human Trafficking via Turkish Work Visas Alarms Landi Kotal Residents
An increasing number of young men from Landi Kotal have been arrested at the Bulgaria-Turkey border while attempting to enter Europe illegally, despite initially entering Turkey on legal work permits. Sources indicate that these permits are being misused by a well-coordinated human trafficking network operating between Pakistan and Turkey.
Due to recent restrictions on tourist visas, illegal agents have turned to Turkish work visas as a new route into Europe. These agents often operate through a nexus involving Pakistani Overseas Employment Promoters (OEPs) and Turkish recruitment firms. Young individuals are enticed with false job offers, and once in Turkey, many are abandoned, left to survive under illegal and exploitative conditions.
A particularly tragic case involves a 20-year-old from Landi Kotal who went missing during an attempt to cross from Turkey into Bulgaria. His fate remains unknown a year later. Many other youths, also misled by fake employment promises, now work low-wage jobs in Turkey, saving money to fund illegal crossings into Europe. These operations are supported by local agents, who also handle money transfers via informal systems like hawala and hundi.
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This growing concern has reached the Senate, where the Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis revealed that out of 1,460 deported citizens, 691 had been sent abroad through licensed OEPs. In response, the Ministry issued show-cause notices to the implicated agents and recommended legal proceedings.
Senator Zeeshan Khanzada and other lawmakers have stressed the urgent need to protect vulnerable youth, uphold Pakistan’s international reputation, and dismantle human smuggling networks exploiting legal loopholes.
