Court in Gujranwala Delivers Severe Sentences
A special central court in Gujranwala, Pakistan, has sentenced two men — Nadeem Aslam and Muhammad Aslam — to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment each and imposed fines of 1.4 million rupees (around USD 5,000).
The ruling, delivered in case number 2023/222, was announced by Special Judge Central Gujranwala on charges related to human smuggling and illegal migration.
Both convicts were found guilty of attempting to send a Pakistani citizen, Allah Ditta, illegally from Libya to Italy in exchange for 2.5 million rupees (around USD 9,000). The victim reportedly went missing following a tragic boat accident off the Libyan coast in 2023, in which at least 18 migrants reportedly died.
Punishments Under Multiple Laws
The sentences were handed down under two separate legal frameworks:
Immigration Ordinance: 20 years’ rigorous imprisonment and a fine of 800,000 rupees.
Smuggling of Migrants Act: 20 years’ imprisonment and a fine of 1.4 million rupees.
The court stated that the punishments will run concurrently, reflecting the severity of human smuggling crimes that have claimed hundreds of Pakistani lives in recent years.
Previous Convictions and Ongoing Crackdown
Earlier, a co-accused, Muhammad Mumtaz, was convicted in the same case and given 20 years in prison along with a 1.4 million rupee fine.
Nadeem Aslam and Muhammad Aslam were already on the Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) most-wanted list for 2023. They had previously been sentenced in another human trafficking case (case number 23/203) to 40 years of rigorous imprisonment and fines totaling 2.8 million rupees.
The FIA’s Assistant Director (Legal), Asfahan Akram King, pursued the prosecution, while Sub-Inspector Muhammad Nadeem led the investigation.
Human Smuggling: A Persistent Crisis
Pakistan has faced a growing human smuggling crisis, particularly involving illegal migration routes through Libya and the Mediterranean Sea. In 2023, hundreds of Pakistani migrants were reported missing or dead after attempting perilous sea crossings toward Europe.
Authorities have since intensified their crackdown on trafficking networks, launching multiple investigations and awareness campaigns warning citizens against falling prey to agents promising safe passage to Europe.
The Gujranwala verdict, officials say, sends a strong message of deterrence to those involved in the lucrative but deadly trade of human smuggling.
