Who are the seven women named in FIA’s Red Book of human traffickers?

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has released its 2025 “Red Book” containing the names of 143 most-wanted human traffickers, including seven women, facing dozens of cases across the country.

The list also features a husband-and-wife duo accused of running the largest trafficking network, with 216 cases registered against them.

According to FIA, the suspects face hundreds of cases under multiple laws, including the Immigration Ordinance 1979, Prevention of Trafficking in Persons Act 2018, the Pakistan Penal Code and others.

The Red Book highlights the most wanted human traffickers operating inside and outside Pakistan, many of whom are facing trials in different courts. The FIA said that their arrests are crucial to dismantling major trafficking networks.

The FIA has been publishing the Red Book since 2005 to document fugitives involved in trafficking cases who remain at large. It has since become a regular practice, with updated editions issued every two to three years.

For 2025, the Red Book lists 143 traffickers. Punjab remains the biggest hub, with Gujranwala Zone accounting for 70, Lahore Zone 14, Faisalabad 13, and Multan three. Islamabad Zone has 25 names, Karachi 10, Balochistan one, while seven suspects are listed from Peshawar and Kohat zones of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

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The previous edition in 2023 carried 156 names, of whom 51 were arrested. This year, 39 new traffickers have been added to the list, showing that the crime remains widespread.

Among those named, the most cases are registered against Asim Mahmood Malik and his wife, Zobia Rabab Malik of Lahore Zone. The couple is accused of providing fake visas and documents to send citizens abroad, particularly to European countries, while extorting huge sums of money.

The FIA said that they face 216 cases — the highest against any trafficker — and are believed to be hiding in the UK. Interpol red notices have also been issued for their arrest.

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Women named in FIA’s Red Book

Zobia Rabab Malik (Lahore Zone) is facing 216 cases for allegedly running the largest trafficking network with her husband. She once held a UK passport and is reportedly hiding in Britain. Interpol red notices have been issued against her.

Anam Haseeb (Lahore Zone) is wanted in seven cases registered between 2016 and 2019 for defrauding citizens with fake visas. She collected millions but never sent anyone legally abroad.

Faryal Khalid Abbasi (Islamabad Zone) is accused in at least five cases (2017–18) of providing forged documents to citizens from Islamabad and Lahore to send them to Europe.

Nadia Nayab Sheikh (Islamabad Zone) is facing six cases, including major ones from 2015 and 2017, for taking large sums under the pretext of providing overseas jobs.

Nasreen Anjum (Islamabad Zone), wife of Abdul Rehman, is accused in four cases (2016–18) of using a fake agency to send people to Gulf states.

Riffat Maha (Islamabad Zone) is facing five cases (2019–20) for forgery and attempts to illegally send people to Europe. She has been declared among the most dangerous traffickers by FIA.

Naheed Kausar (Rawalpindi Zone), wife of Muhammad Rashid and a resident of Taxila, is wanted in six cases (2015–19) for defrauding citizens with promises of visas and jobs abroad.

The FIA said most of the women operated with their husbands or close relatives already active in trafficking networks. In many cases, they handled finances or persuaded victims, exploiting the greater trust citizens placed in female agents.

According to FIA, in the 2023 Red Book, 51 traffickers were arrested, mostly from Gujranwala and Lahore zones, with major arrests also made in Islamabad and Karachi. However, many remain at large abroad, and the agency is seeking assistance from Interpol and Gulf states to secure their capture.