LAHORE, Nov 15: The National Assembly Standing Committee on Law has approved certain amendments to the Immigration Ordinance of 1979 and the Prevention and Control of Human Trafficking Ordinance of 2002. The Federal Investigation Agency had proposed amendments to the immigration laws primarily to seek more punishment for human smugglers and removal of difficulties in dispensation of justice.

Sources in the interior ministry told Dawn on Tuesday that the draft law in this regard had been approved by the NA’s standing committee a couple of weeks ago and it would be presented in the assembly shortly for final approval.

They said the major amendments incorporated in the immigration laws included 14-year imprisonment for human smugglers (earlier it was seven years), change of human trafficking definition and setting up of a separate court in every district to try the cases related to the crime.

Under the existing immigration laws, no punishment has been proposed for a person who pays money to an agent for the preparation of fake travel documents. Such a person is considered a ‘victim’.

However, under the proposed draft law, this definition has been changed and seven-year imprisonment will be awarded to those who travel abroad despite knowing that they possess tampered travel documents.

Sources said more punishment had also been proposed in the draft law for the people who fraudulently took children and women abroad and forced them into work.

Under the existing laws, an FIA official has to submit the challan of an accused before the special judge (central) and a magistrate under the HTO and immigration ordinance, respectively. The proposed establishment of a special court in every district would remove this problem, they added.

FIA Director-General Tariq Pervaiz told this reporter that the amendments would certainly help control the menace of human smuggling. He said enhancing the imprisonment of human smugglers and setting up of a special court in every district were the long-standing demands of the agency.