‘Pakistan raking improves’ in US report on human trafficking

Pakistan significantly improved its ranking in the annual ‘Trafficking in Persons (TIP)’ reports of the US State Department in the last two years, despite being placed on the Tier-II watch list, an international conference on combating human trafficking was told on Wednesday.

The conference, organised by Sustainable Social Development Organization (SSDO) aimed at creating awareness regarding the critical issue of human trafficking with special focus on the most vulnerable segment of society.

Speaking at the concluding session, Ahmad Ishaque Jehangir, the director general of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) noted that human trafficking was a crime with no boundaries, affecting individuals of all ages, genders, and backgrounds.

Jehangir highlighted Pakistan’s alignment with international protocols and cooperation with other nations. “Our approach is to remain vigilant and adaptive to stay ahead of traffickers, leveraging innovation and technology to ensure the safety of citizens,” he said.

SSDO Executive Director Syed Kausar Abbas highlighted SSDO’s collaboration with the FIA, provincial police, and other line departments to enhance coordination among stakeholders to combat the Trafficking in Persons (TIP) and Smuggling of Migrants (SOM) in Pakistan.

“Despite consistently being placed on the Tier II Watch List in the US Department of State’s annual TIP reports since 2015, Pakistan’s ranking has significantly improved in the 2022 and 2023 reports,” Abbas told the conference.

Various sessions were held especially on amplifying women’s voices on TIP efforts, the role of citizens in combatting human trafficking and strengthening the legal framework to combat TIP. The participants discussed the progress made so far, the challenges faced, lessons learned, and a way forward.

In his closing remarks, National Police Bureau Director General Dr Ehsan Sadiq emphasised the need for improving the implementation of the legal framework on the TIP. He noted that it would assist the government in complying with international commitments and protocols on TIP.