Country’s laws to curb human trafficking lauded
Human trafficking can be found in any country, and its victims can be nearly anyone, experts say. PHOTO: REUTERS/FILE
The European Union on Thursday appreciated the legislation introduced by Pakistan to combat human trafficking including the enactment of the two laws in 2018 -- Trafficking in Persons (TIP) and Smuggling of Migrants (SOM) Acts.
The EU and Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) also reiterated their joint commitment to combat human trafficking and money laundering.
A EU delegation led by its international affairs head of unit Pawel Busiakiewicz visited the FIA headquarters in Islamabad and met with its director general Ahmad Ishaque Jehangir, immigration wing additional director general Ashraf Zubair Siddiqui, , Anti-Human Smuggling Director Israr Ahmed Khan, Counter-Terrorism Wing (CTW) Director Humayun Masood Sandhu, NCB-Interpol Director Malik Sikandar Hayat, and Immigration Director Abdul Qadir Qamar.
It highlighted the FIA’s cooperation efforts with the US Consulate, British High Commission, Australian High Commission, Interpol and EU.
The EU team also appreciated the FIA's partnership with international organisations and diplomatic missions. It also lauded Pakistan’s ratification of the UN’s Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children.
On 6 September 2022, sustained advocacy on the issue over many years by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime led to the Pakistan’s cabinet issuing it approval for accession to the protocol.
The delegation also appreciated the efforts of FIA’s CTW to collaborate with international partners to combat cyber-terrorism and extremist narratives.
It also highlighted the FIA’s joint research initiatives, efforts to enhance cyber security, digital forensics training programmes and cooperation in investigations into terrorism financing. The Pakistan-EU Joint Working Group on Combating International Terrorism was highlighted as an important contributor to the global efforts in this connection.
Both sides reiterated conducting capacity building training on transnational organised crime including money laundering, terrorism financing and other financial crimes. Pakistan has legislated Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2010 and Mutual Legal Assistance Act of 2020. Both these laws have several preventive and internal controls to minimise the risk of money laundering and terrorism financing from Pakistan.
According to the foreign affairs ministry’s website, being a victim of terrorism, Pakistan attaches great significance to countering extremism and terrorism. Terrorism and extremism as a global phenomenon have affected almost every region in the world.
Terrorism not only infringes upon human rights, but also negatively impacts the economy. From 2001 to 2022, Pakistan suffered a large number of causalities and incurred huge economic losses. The human cost of terrorism is devastating; its economic impact is even higher. This does not include the long term losses to the economy in terms of indirect or secondary impact of terrorism.
Pakistan has taken several measures from time to time to successfully counter the menace of extremism and terrorism.