Convictions of Libya deportees rise to 64

The number of deportees from Libya and Greece convicted for attempting illegal migration has risen to 64 following a new sentencing by a local court on Thursday. A Special Judge Central in Gujranwala convicted the latest individual under Section 17(1) of the Emigration Ordinance, 1979, for unlawful emigration. The court sentenced the man to the period already served in judicial custody and imposed a fine of fifty thousand rupees.

This legal action follows the repatriation of approximately two hundred Pakistanis who were intercepted by Libyan authorities whilst trying to reach Italy by boat. They were flown back on two special flights with the assistance of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM). Around ninety of these individuals belonged to the Gujranwala division, prompting the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to launch immediate prosecutions through its specialised circles in Gujranwala, Gujrat, and Sialkot.

Over the past fortnight, special courts across these three central Punjab districts have secured 64 convictions through summary trials after the suspects admitted to illegally crossing international borders. Most of the individuals received short prison terms ranging from 10 to 15 days, alongside fines between twenty-five thousand and fifty thousand rupees.

Because the court rulings counted the time already spent in judicial detention towards the final sentence, the convicts were able to secure their release immediately upon paying their respective fines. Authorities continue to press ahead with this regional crackdown to dismantle human trafficking networks operating throughout central Punjab.