17-year jail term each for two human traffickers in Gujranwala

17-year jail term each for two human traffickers in Gujranwala

GUJRAT: The special judge (central), Gujranwala, on Thursday handed down a 17-year rigorous imprisonment, besides a fine of Rs1.1 million, each, to two human traffickers. According to the prosecution, the convicts — Hamza Ashraf and Arslan — along with two others, were booked in a case (595/2025) on the charges of receiving a sum of Rs3.8 million from the complainant, for sending his brother-in-law to Europe. However, the complainant’s brother-in-law was sent to Turkiye, where he was forcibly kept in a safe house and was also subjected to severe physical torture. The victim has been missing since then. The two other suspects in the case — Sufiyan and Qasim — are at large. The case was lodged by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Gujranwala circle after arrest of the two convicts. The judge awarded a three-year imprisonment and Rs300,000 fine each to both convicts under Section 17 of the Immigration Ordinance 1979, as well as a seven-year term and Rs500,000 fine each under Section 22 of the same ordinance. They were also handed down a seven-year term and Rs 300,000 fine each under Section 6 of the Prevention of Smuggling of Migrants Act 2018. The judge also announced a six-year additional imprisonment for the convicts in case of non-payment of the fine amount. Published in Dawn, October 9th, 2026