KARACHI: Hundreds of Pakistanis have fallen victim to a major employment scam in Cambodia, where they have been lured with promises of lucrative jobs but are instead being held hostage and subjected to violence.

According to FIA Karachi Director Nauman Siddiqui, fraudsters advertise attractive IT, call centres, and engineering jobs in Cambodia through social media.

Indian agents, particularly in some Middle Eastern nations, are targeting Pakistani youth, offering employment for $1,000 to $2,000.

FIA sources revealed that recruitment is also taking place in Lahore and Karachi. In recent weeks, over 20 Pakistanis, including a woman, have been deported from Cambodia with emergency travel documents.

Karachi’s Anti-Human Trafficking Circle (AHTC) has registered two cases and initiated 14 inquiries based on testimonies from the deported individuals.

AHTC Karachi SHO Sohail Mehmood Sheikh said that upon arrival in Cambodia, victims have their passports confiscated and are forced into illegal work, including fraudulent call centres and forced labour in remote areas.

Many victims have managed to escape and seek assistance from the Pakistani embassy, leading to their repatriation. Following complaints from the Pakistani mission, Cambodian authorities launched an operation two weeks ago, rescuing over 100 Pakistanis from these centres.

However, a significant number remain stranded in remote regions, reportedly held hostage and forced into labour. Sources indicate that most victims belong to Punjab.

FIA officials confirmed that some foreign nationals based in Karachi and Lahore are suspected of involvement in this network and are currently under investigation.