Over 1,700 human traffickers picked up in 2010

FIA says a special campaign for arrest of proclaimed offenders and court absconders has been launched in the country.

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) arrested 1,779 human traffickers, including 12 most wanted people, from various parts of the country in 2010. According to FIA, a special campaign for the arrest of proclaimed offenders and court absconders has been launched in the country with 12 most wanted traffickers.

In comparson, 1,755 human traffickers were arrested in 2009 and 1,642 in 2008.

The agency also initiated legal action on recruiting agents against whom complaints were received through the Bureau of Emigration and Overseas Employment after scrutiny.

Anti-Trafficking Units at Provincial Police HQs have been established to combat internal human trafficking besides the establishment of an interagency task force. A total of 3,434 illegal migrants were intercepted in 2010, 5,601 in 2009 and 10,703 in 2008.

A total 15,266 cases were filed in 2008, 13,581 in 2009 and 11,370 in 2010, out of which 4,841 cases ended with convictions in 2008, 4,472 in 2009 and 3,377 in 2010.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 19^th, 2011.