Panellists at the inaugural meeting of the Parliamentary Working Group on combating human trafficking and smuggling stressed the need for a comprehensive action plan to prevent illegal migration and encourage youth to pursue legal migration avenues.
Organised by the Sustainable Social Development Organization (SSDO) in collaboration with the British High Commission, the meeting was attended by parliamentarians and senior officials.
The group reviewed current efforts and proposed establishing a special parliamentary committee to monitor the performance of law enforcement agencies in Punjab regarding human trafficking. Participants emphasised that while migration for better opportunities is legitimate, it must be done through legal channels.
Parliamentarians urged youth to consider local entrepreneurship opportunities rather than resorting to dangerous illegal migration.
Gemma Wilson, Acting Consul General of the British High Commission in Lahore, highlighted the challenges of curbing illegal migration and called for greater awareness at the community level.
She stressed the need for a long-term strategy to fight human trafficking.
MPA Uzma Kardar and Syed Kausar Abbas, Executive Director of SSDO, echoed the call for a unified approach. Abbas discussed SSDO's initiatives, including awareness campaigns and legislative efforts to hold institutions accountable.
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