Human trafficking: Top court seeks more comprehensive report

Some 8,462 inquiries registered in Punjab, FIA tells court.

ISLAMABAD: A three-judge bench of the Supreme Court has asked the country’s top investigation agency to submit a more comprehensive report on human trafficking in Punjab.

The instruction came after the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) told the bench, headed by Justice Jawwad S Khawaja, that 8,462 inquiries have been registered against those involved in human trafficking in Punjab for a two-year period.



Deputy Attorney General Sajid Ilyas Bhatti, while submitting a report on behalf of the FIA, said that 6,004 cases have been disposed of in Punjab, while 3,687 inquiries have been converted into FIRs. Up to 3,345 challans have been submitted in the courts concerned.

The report stated that 1,064 people were convicted for involvement in human trafficking cases while 103 suspects were acquitted.

Sindh record

According to the report, 1,036 cases were registered in Sindh over the last two years, 545 inquiries were closed, 583 were converted into FIRs, 523 accused were convicted and 61 persons acquitted in the matters related to human trafficking.

On January 19, the court had sought a report from the FIA about the number of people who had gone abroad illegally and how many of them were brought back to the country.

The bench had also wanted the FIA to find out how many cases have been filed against those involved in human trafficking, how many have been released and how many have been sentenced.

The bench also inquired about other details.

It had taken up this matter during the hearing of the application filed by Abid Hussain against the granting of bail to Azhar Hussain by a high court. Azhar had illegally sent Abid’s brother to Turkey.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 7^th, 2015.