Human trafficking

Published July 29, 2015
The report rightly points out that a comprehensive anti-trafficking law is needed in Pakistan. —APP/File
The report rightly points out that a comprehensive anti-trafficking law is needed in Pakistan. —APP/File

WHERE the crime of human trafficking is concerned, Pakistan has received mixed marks in the 2015 Trafficking in Persons Report, released recently by the US State Department.

The report says that while human trafficking remains a substantial problem for the country, efforts are afoot to address outstanding issues.

Also, Pakistan remains on the tier-2 watch list. Pakistan is a source, transit as well as destination country for men, women and children who are trafficked both internally and across borders.

Know more: US report on human trafficking censures Pakistan

The victims are mostly subjected to forced labour or trafficked for sex, while bonded labour has been singled out as the biggest ‘beneficiary’ of this cruel trade.

Reflecting the less than ideal security, political and economic situation in Pakistan, the report says Hazaras, who have been hunted down mercilessly by sectarian killers in Balochistan, “are particularly vulnerable to trafficking”.

However, it should be pointed out that as per the UN’s definition, migrant smuggling and human trafficking are two related but distinct crimes, which are often conflated by local authorities.

Where migrant smuggling is concerned, there is an element of consent involved on part of the person being smuggled, whereas victims who are trafficked are often done so against their will.

The report says the Federal Investigation Agency is making efforts to curb this crime, though the complicity of government officials with traffickers is a major problem. Indeed in many cases human traffickers and their modus operandi are known to functionaries of the state; yet due to the clout and deep pockets of these individuals they are allowed to carry on.

The report rightly points out that a comprehensive anti-trafficking law is needed in Pakistan.

Particularly, the “insufficient political will and capacity” of the state to clamp down on human trafficking must be addressed.

Traffickers prey on society’s weakest members, hence the state’s complacency must be replaced with alacrity to punish those involved in these crimes, while the black sheep within the government apparatus that help facilitate these crimes must also be brought to justice.

Published in Dawn, July 29th, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play

Opinion

Editorial

Defining extremism
Updated 18 Mar, 2024

Defining extremism

Redefining extremism may well be the first step to clamping down on advocacy for Palestine.
Climate in focus
18 Mar, 2024

Climate in focus

IN a welcome order by the Supreme Court, the new government has been tasked with providing a report on actions taken...
Growing rabies concern
18 Mar, 2024

Growing rabies concern

DOG-BITE is an old problem in Pakistan. Amid a surfeit of public health challenges, rabies now seems poised to ...
Provincial share
Updated 17 Mar, 2024

Provincial share

PPP has aptly advised Centre to worry about improving its tax collection rather than eying provinces’ share of tax revenues.
X-communication
17 Mar, 2024

X-communication

IT has now been a month since Pakistani authorities decided that the country must be cut off from one of the...
Stateless humanity
17 Mar, 2024

Stateless humanity

THE endless hostility between India and Pakistan has reduced prisoners to mere statistics. Although the two ...