ISLAMABAD: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has finalized its initial inquiry into the Greece boat tragedy. As part of the probe, 31 FIA officials, previously stationed at various airports, have been barred from traveling due to their alleged involvement in the incident.

This decision was made after survivors were questioned about the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.

Investigators are now seeking transaction records from the State Bank for certain accounts linked to the incident. Survivors have provided crucial information about their interactions with human smugglers, helping authorities advance the investigation.

In a broader crackdown on human smuggling, FIA agents apprehended three suspects from Faisalabad, two from Gujranwala, and two FIA officials from Faisalabad.

Earlier, the FIA arrested Mohammad Aslam and Saeed Ahmed, suspected of being key players in the smuggling operation. Authorities identified Mohammad Aslam as a member of an international human smuggling network directly linked to the Greece boat tragedy.

Aslam is accused of deceiving victims with false promises of immigration to Europe, collecting Rs8.5 million in total from them. He, along with his associates, arranged for victims to be sent to Libya, intending to transport them onward to Greece by boat.

The tragedy unfolded on December 14, when a wooden boat carrying migrants capsized near Gavdos Island in southern Greece, claiming at least five lives.