Hundreds of Pakistanis stranded in Cambodia employment scam

PHNOM PENH: The huge employment scam has trapped hundreds of Pakistanis in Cambodia, many of whom were subjected to violence and hostage situations.

Speaking through social media, the perpetrators lure jobless youth with promises of jobs in IT, call centers, and engineering. The scammers have been targeting Pakistanis in Lahore and Karachi.

However, upon arrival in Cambodia, the victims have had their passports taken away from them and have been made to work illegally in fraudulent call centers and labor in remote areas.

The situation is dire, with over 20 Pakistanis, including a woman, deported from Cambodia with emergency travel documents in recent weeks.

The Karachi Anti-Human Trafficking Circle has filed two cases and initiated fourteen inquiries based on the testimonies from the deportees.

The Cambodian authorities have launched an operation whereby they have rescued over a hundred Pakistanis from these centres; however, many remain stuck in remote regions, allegedly taken hostage and made to work.

The testimonies of the repatriated Pakistanis have directed local authorities to the existence of other Pakistanis in the country who need to be rescued. A majority of the victims are assumed to be from Punjab province but are not credited with official data.

The Federal Investigation Agency is probing the scam and officials confirmed that it is believed the foreigners based in Karachi and Lahore may be a part of the network.