ISLAMABAD: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), Islamabad zone, has secured the conviction of two accused involved in sending 92 nurses to Saudi Arabia on fake experience certificates, with the court awarding a total of 41 years’ imprisonment and imposing fines of over Rs9 million on the main culprit.

According to FIA and court records, Judge of the Special Court (Central), Rawalpindi, Abdul Rehman Muhammad Arif, pronounced the judgement on Sept 23 in a 2024 case registered under Sections 34/420 /468/471/109 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), read with Sections 18/22 of the Emigration Ordinance (EO) 1979 and Section 5(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act (PCA) 1947.

The case pertained to 92 nurses who were sent to Saudi Arabia on fake experience certificates and deported within a month. The FIA said progress in the high-profile case was regularly shared with the PM Office.

Accomplice awarded three years rigorous imprisonment

According to the warrant of conviction, key agent Ghulam Zulfiqar Ali alias Mian Zulfiqar, son of Din Muhammad, was sentenced to seven years’ rigorous imprisonment (RI) and a Rs100,000 fine, with two months’ further RI in default under Section 420 of PPC; seven years’ RI and a Rs100,000 fine, with two months’ further RI in default under Section 468; seven years’ RI and a Rs100,000 fine, with two months’ further RI in default under Section 471 of PPC; 10 years’ RI and a Rs200,000 fine, with three months’ further RI in default under Section 18 of the Emigration Ordinance 1979; and 10 years’ RI and a Rs200,000 fine, with three months’ further RI in default under Section 22 of the Emigration Ordinance 1979.

The total concurrent sentence comes to 41 years, as stated in the FIA infographic. The court further ordered, under Section 544-A of the Code of Criminal Procedure, that convict Zulfiqar Ali pay Rs9.2 million as compensation to the nurses, at Rs100,000 per victim. The amount shall be recovered as arrears of land revenue and, in case of default, the convict shall undergo a further six months’ simple imprisonment. The amount is to be deposited with the FIA Islamabad zone director for disbursement among all 92 victim nurses.

The second convict, Ghulam Fareed, son of Muhammad Sadiq, was sentenced to three years’ RI and a Rs200,000 fine under Section 18 of the Emigration Ordinance 1979. However, he was acquitted of charges under Section 22 of the EO, read with Sections 420, 468 and 471 of PPC, by giving him the benefit of the doubt.

Published in Dawn, September 27th, 2026