ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Railway police have been identified as a new partner in controlling internal trafficking issues, a regional conference was told here on Monday.

Country representative of UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Jeremy Milsom informed the two-day conference that increased cooperation among agencies at local and provincial levels in Pakistan had led to an increase in the number of prosecutions and arrest of traffickers and smugglers.

Additional Director General Immigration, Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), Ahmed Mukkarram said the agency had taken concrete steps which included the enactment of laws on trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants in May 2018 as well as the significant restructuring of the agency, leading to the establishment of several new anti-human trafficking circles across Pakistan.

Highlighting the importance of civil society, the acting head of the Delegation of the European Union in Pakistan, Anne Marchal, said international organisations, NGOs, civil society and relevant agencies should also play their part in supporting national efforts to combat trafficking in human beings and migrant smuggling.

The EU stands ready to continue its unwavering support to these efforts, which have been exemplified through the truly outstanding work carried out by ‘GLO.ACT’ and its partner countries and the considerable progress which had been and would be made in eradicating and preventing these crimes, she said.

The conference has been organised by UNODC under the framework of the Global Action to Prevent and Address Trafficking in Persons and the Smuggling of Migrants (GLO.ACT) in Asia and the Middle East.

‘GLO.ACT-Asia and the Middle East’ is a four year (2018-2022) joint initiative by the European Union (EU) and UNODC implemented in partnership with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) in five countries in Asia and Middle East, including Pakistan.

The project reaffirms that combating human trafficking and migrant smuggling is of the highest importance for the EU and the United Nations as a whole.

Delegates from Afghanistan, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Morocco and Nepal are attending the conference.

Published in Dawn, September 17th, 2019