Human trafficker gets 147-year jail term
The shackled legs of suspected human traffickers are seen as they arrive for their trial at the criminal court in Bangkok, Thailand, in this file photo dated March 15, 2016. PHOTO: REUTERS
An accused named Atif Maqsood Bukhari was sentenced for human trafficking and money laundering with a total of 147 years of imprisonment alongside hard labour and a fine of Rs6.94 million by FIA Special Court Judge Syed Amjad Ali Shah.
The Rawalpindi FIA Anti-Human Trafficking Circle registered 22 cases of human trafficking and money laundering against the accused.
According to sources, the convict used to collect Rs1 million to Rs2.5 million from innocent citizens by tricking them with offers of sending them to Europe, America and the Middle East and then disappearing with their money.
Read: Human trafficker nabbed, passports seized
In 2022, victims of his fraud from Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Gujarat and Jhelum filed cases against him and got him arrested. The victims had also submitted documents and videos as proof.
The FIA team, headed by Sub-Inspector Zubair Kamal, arrested the accused, on which cases were filed against the accused in the court of Central Rawalpindi Special Judge.
During the hearing, on behalf of the prosecution, FIA Assistant Director Legal, Jamal Subhani, presented all the evidence and fake visas to the court.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 4th 2024.