Donkey Monitoring Cell IslamabadThe recent operation by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has not only foiled a possible illegal journey but also exposed the complex and evolving methods used by human smugglers to smuggle innocent people to Europe.
An FIA spokesperson said that on April 6, 2026, immigration officials at Karachi airport stopped two Bangladeshi nationals, Mohammad Raju and Shahid, after their statements were found to be contradictory. Both the passengers had arrived in Karachi from Bangladesh on tourist visas and had stated that the purpose of their visit was to attend a wedding.
Based on the suspicious behavior of the passengers, further questioning was conducted. During this, discrepancies were found in their statements, after which a full investigation was initiated.
It became clear that the original plan was not to stop in Pakistan but to use it as a transit point. According to the FIA, the aim of the two men was to reach Europe via Azerbaijan, which is commonly known as the ‘Donkey Route’.
It may be recalled that in December 2025, a key meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis had come to a shocking revelation that Bangladeshi nationals were using Pakistan as a regular transit route to reach Europe illegally.
The meeting, chaired by Agha Rafiullah, was briefed in detail by the Director General of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) who said that these individuals come to Pakistan on tourist visas and are later caught trying to travel to Europe through various airports.
