A growing problem that currently plagues the country is the menace of human trafficking. According to the Trafficking in Persons Act passed by parliament last year, human trafficking is the acquisition of people by improper means, such as force, fraud or deception, with the aim of exploiting them. Its lure for criminals is the high monetary gains it offers- it is the third-largest source of organized crime revenue. According to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), a total of 7,037 human trafficking cases were reported in Pakistan last year, and globally, as in Pakistan, around 80% of those trafficked are women and girls. Several major human trafficking problems affect Pakistan including bonded labour, sex slavery, forced marriages and forced begging. The most pervasive in our country, however, is the issue of bonded labour, in which a worker assumes an initial debt the non-payment of which ultimately pushes them into slavery. Although the FIA has had some success in tackling the problem, a lot more needs to be done to combat it.
Firstly, it is imperative that we raise awareness among the masses about the human trafficking problem with the goal of transforming social norms and behaviour. One such initiative was a television drama serial, aired recently, on the trafficking of women and girls which had a substantial impact on viewers. The media’s role, therefore, is critical in the eradication of human trafficking. Secondly, it is crucial that law enforcement agencies play their role in the safe return, protection, reintegration and rehabilitation of human trafficking survivors. Thirdly, the government must hold its officials accountable and investigate trafficking allegations against them as well- a step international organizations have repeatedly emphasized. And, most important of all, law enforcement agencies must strictly enforce the comprehensive human trafficking laws already on the books as lax law enforcement will simply bring all our anti-human trafficking efforts to naught.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 2nd, 2019.
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