Pakistan has rejected “the unsubstantiated and baseless” inclusion of the country in the Child Soldiers Prevention Act (CSPA) list, a statement issued by the Foreign Office said on Friday.
A day after Pakistan was added to the list of the US State Department’s annual Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report, which ranks countries in various tiers in accordance with their efforts for eliminating trafficking, Pakistan categorically rejected the decision, terming it “unsubstantiated and baseless”.
“Pakistan does not support any non-state armed group; nor any entity recruiting or using child soldiers,” the statement said, asserting that Pakistan’s efforts in fighting non-state armed groups, including terrorist entities, were well recognised.
“The inclusion of Pakistan in the CSPA List depicts a factual error and lack of understanding. No state institution was consulted by the US prior to the publication of the report. Nor were any details provided of the basis on which the conclusion was reached.”
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The foreign office reiterated that Pakistan was committed to fighting “this scourge both at the national and international levels,” reaffirming that the country had taken a range of legislative and administrative actions in that regard during the last one year, “including the approval of rules under the domestic Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants Acts; National Action Plan 2021-25 prepared jointly by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC); and enhancement of capacity building and inter-agency cooperation of law enforcement agencies involved in anti-human smuggling”.
Countering the report’s veracity and claims, the statement said Pakistan had been voluntarily submitting information for the TIP Report to successive US governments since 2007 and had actively worked on implementing the practicable recommendations of these reports.
“Pakistan calls upon the authorities concerned in the United States to review the baseless assertions made in the TIP Report, especially with regard to the unwarranted inclusion of Pakistan in the list.”
Pakistan also expects the sharing of credible information on cases involving trafficking as well as on allegations pertaining to support to armed groups using child soldiers, the statement added.
“Pakistan’s views and perspective on the subject have been conveyed to the US side. Pakistan would continue to remain engaged with the US government through bilateral channels for constructive dialogue on all issues of mutual interest.”
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