GUJRAT: The special judge, Central-I, Gujranwala, on Tuesday sentenced two human traffickers to 33-year imprisonment each, besides imposing a fine of Rs1.8 million on each of them.

The court issued the verdict in case No 505/23, registered by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Dec 5, 2023, under sections 17(1)& 22(b) EO 1979 & 3,6 PSMA 2018.

According to the prosecution, Muhammad Sarwar and Muhmmad Rauf received Rs700,000 from the complainant on the pretext of sending his brother to Italy.

But, when the emigrant reached Libya, the convicts took him hostage, tortured him and extorted Rs2.55 million more from his family in Pakistan.

Despite extortion of extra amount, the traffickers neither sent the emigrant to Italy from Libya, nor back to Pakistan and he had been missing since then.

The case was prosecuted by FIA Assistant Director (Legal) Asfahan Akram Kang and Inspector Shafique was the investigation officer.

In yet another case (No 139/21), the court handed down a five-year imprisonment and Rs0.5m fine to one Shabbir Hussain for extorting Rs1.46m from the complainant on the pretext of sending his son to United States of America, but did not fulfill the commitment.

Published in Dawn, December 25th, 2024