Gujranwala courts convict 164 human traffickers in first half of 2026

GUJRANWALA: Courts in Gujranwala convicted 164 people in human trafficking cases during the first six months of 2026, according to a report issued by Muhammad Bin Ashraf, director of the Federal Investigation Agency's Gujranwala Zone.

The convictions came as authorities continued implementing a special action plan against human trafficking. Stronger investigations and the use of what the FIA described as solid evidence had helped improve outcomes in court in cases that previously saw a low conviction rate.

Among those given the longest sentences were Aslam Mayo, Sarwar Sindhu, Nadeem Mayo and Rauf Smuggler, each of whom was handed 22 years in prison. Another convicted trafficker, Sajjad, was sentenced to 19 years, while Sagheer was awarded 10 years in prison.

Ashraf said many of the traffickers operating networks in the Gujranwala region had been involved in the business for decades. His report added that, alongside the convictions, a record Rs880.96 million had been recovered this year from ongoing inquiries and cases against the accused. The FIA linked the recent court outcomes to new legislation and its special action plan, saying these had strengthened arrests, investigations and prosecutions.