29 January 2004	Thursday	06 Zilhaj 1424

LAHORE, Jan 28: The Federal Investigation Agency (Lahore) on Wednesday submitted the case of alleged human smuggler Malik Bashiruddin to the court of special judge (central).

He was charged under the Human Traffic Ordinance (HTO), the Passport Act and the Immigration Ordinance, 1979. "He can be sentenced up to 14 years under the HTO and six years under the immigration law if proved guilty," an FIA official told Dawn on Wednesday.

He said the case was completed after interrogating 20 people and recording the statements of 15 witnesses. Malik Bashir has also been booked in 15 cases registered with the FIA (Rawalpindi and Karachi) and Lahore police, including murder and weapons.

Malik Bashir, who appeared in a court along with more than two dozen bodyguards in June last, was arrested by the FIA when his bail was cancelled in a human smuggling case. His three gunmen were also reportedly arrested for creating hindrance in the court's proceedings.

Surprisingly, the people whose statement in the court enabled the FIA to book Bashir had later changed their version in his favour. Malik Bashir, a vendor by profession, became a part of human trafficking business over two decades ago.

He later became an active member of the travel agents mafia, and with the connivance of immigration and passport authorities succeeded in sending hundreds of people abroad, especially to Europe and America. He is said to be a pioneer of changing pictures in passports.