LAHORE – A special court of Gujranwala has sentenced a human trafficker to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment over a deadly boat disaster off the coast of Mauritania that claimed the lives of two young men, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) said.
The Special Judge Central-I in Gujranwala convicted the accused, identified as Tariq Mahmood, following a trial stemming from a 2025 criminal case registered under Pakistan’s Emigration Ordinance and the Prevention of Smuggling of Migrants Act, according to an FIA Gujranwala Zone spokesperson.
Prosecutors told the court that Mahmood extorted eight million Pakistani rupees ($28,700) in cash from the victims’ family after promising to smuggle their son and nephew to Spain and secure employment for them there. However, he failed to fulfill the promise, and both young men subsequently perished in the Mauritania boat tragedy while attempting the perilous irregular migration route toward Europe.
Handing down the verdict, the court sentenced Mahmood to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of one million rupees under Section 22(b) of the Emigration Ordinance 1979. He received an additional four-year term and a 500,000-rupee fine under Section 17(2)(b) of the same law, alongside seven years of rigorous imprisonment and another 500,000-rupee fine under Sections 3 and 6 of the Prevention of Smuggling of Migrants Act 2018.
The court ordered that all prison sentences will run concurrently, though the convict will face an additional six months in jail if he defaults on the fines.
Under Section 544-A of the Code of Criminal Procedure, the judge also ordered Mahmood to pay one million rupees each in compensation to two members of the bereaved family, Misbah Bibi and Muhammad Jafar.
The case was investigated by the FIA Gujranwala circle and prosecuted by Assistant Director Legal Samar Bhatti under the supervision of the regional FIA director.
Pakistan remains a major origin country for irregular migrants attempting dangerous sea crossings to Europe, often paying large sums to smuggling networks. The FIA said it would continue to vigorously pursue prosecutions against elements involved in human trafficking.
