The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) is initiating the repatriation process for Munawar Hussain, known as Munawar Sunyara, following his arrest by authorities in Libya. Hussain is the suspected ringleader of the “Sunyara Gang,” an organized human trafficking network based out of Gujrat.
Hussain is wanted in dozens of criminal cases connected to the boat capsize incidents in Libya during 2023 and 2024. The FIA had previously listed his name in its 2025 red book of wanted individuals.
An FIA team is currently stationed in Libya to coordinate the transfer of custody. A senior FIA official stated that Libyan authorities apprehended Hussain following the prior issuance of Interpol red warrants at the request of Pakistani law enforcement.
The official confirmed that the agency expects to repatriate the accused to Pakistan within one week.
Investigating agencies identify the Sunyara Gang of Gujrat and the Jajja Gang, led by Asif Jajja of Pasrur, Sialkot, as two primary human trafficking networks operating from abroad.
While officials view Hussain’s arrest as a significant development in the ongoing crackdown across the Gujranwala and Gujrat regions, the head of the Jajja Gang remains at large. The FIA currently holds six other members of the Sunyara Gang in custody in Gujrat.
FIA documentation indicates that the Sunyara network established its operations in 2023, specifically targeting unemployed individuals with offers of transport to Europe via Libya.
The core members of the network originally relocated to Libya during the early 1990s, where they operated gold businesses in Benghazi under commercial names including “Johar-e-Madine.”
In addition to human smuggling, the network utilized Hundi and Hawala channels to execute illegal financial transactions and move capital.
Following the 2023 maritime disasters, the gang members remained outside Pakistan to evade law enforcement and were subsequently declared proclaimed offenders in multiple cases.
The network continued its operations remotely from Libya, where members managed the reception of migrants, secured Libyan visas and arranged air travel from Pakistan to Libya.
The network then organized the maritime transit of individuals from Libyan ports toward destinations in Italy and Greece.
