— Orders confiscation of properties, assets belonging to human trafficking groups
— Lauds FIA for targeting officials aiding traffickers, urges action to dismantle networks
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Monday ordered the confiscation of properties and assets belonging to human trafficking gangs in the country, as the government ramps up the crackdown to curb the issue.
that strict legal action be taken against all human trafficking groups in the country, including the confiscation of their properties and assets, to set a strong example.
The Prime Minister’s orders were issued after chairing a review meeting on the measures being taken to combat human trafficking in Pakistan, according to the PM Office Media Wing.
The Prime Minister commended the recent actions by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) against government officials involved in human trafficking and urged that more rigorous punitive measures be taken against the facilitators of these illicit networks.
He further directed that the prosecution process be made more effective, with top lawyers appointed for legal proceedings, in consultation with the Ministry of Law and Justice.
The meeting was briefed on the progress of ongoing actions against human trafficking, the legal measures being taken against facilitators, and the status of legislation aimed at eradicating human trafficking in the country. The Prime Minister emphasized the importance of swiftly addressing such cases to protect Pakistan’s global reputation.
Also present at the meeting were Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar, Federal Minister for Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan Engineer Amir Muqam, and senior officials from relevant departments.
PM Shehbaz instructed the Foreign Office to engage with international authorities to expedite the extradition of Pakistanis involved in human trafficking operations abroad. He also directed the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, in collaboration with the Ministry of Interior, to launch an awareness campaign to inform the public about using legal channels for overseas employment.
Additionally, he urged the promotion of technical training institutions that could supply skilled professionals to the global workforce and called for stricter screening procedures at airports to prevent illegal travel.
The Prime Minister’s directive comes on the heels of his recent orders for stringent action against officials within the FIA linked to human traffickers, following the tragic boat incident off the coast of Greece that claimed the lives of five Pakistani nationals.
Since the tragedy, authorities have accelerated efforts to address the growing issue of human trafficking. The FIA has registered cases against three traffickers and arrested two of its own officers for negligence.
Inspector Zubair Ashraf and Sub Inspector Shahid Imran were arrested for failing to properly screen passengers at Faisalabad Airport, including those involved in the ill-fated Greece boat incident.
The FIA has also initiated disciplinary proceedings against 18 of its officers and placed 31 officials on the passport control list in connection with the tragedy. Meanwhile, crackdowns on trafficking syndicates have been carried out across multiple cities, leading to arrests of key figures.
Among those apprehended was Imran Hussain, also known as Mani, a notorious human trafficker linked to the Libya boat disaster. Hussain had extorted Rs 2.4 million from each of six victims before they were sent from Pakistan to Libya, where they were held in safe houses and eventually perished in the boat disaster. Hussain, a member of an international trafficking syndicate, had six cases filed against him in Gujrat.
The FIA has also made arrests in Faisalabad, Chiniot, Gujranwala, and Nankana Sahib, where traffickers typically charge around Rs 1.4 million per person, with an advance of Rs 250,000 per traveler.
The international scale of the human trafficking crisis is underscored by a report from the Spanish NGO Caminando Fronteras, which reveals that approximately 30 people die every day while attempting to cross the Mediterranean Sea to reach Spain.
In the past year alone, over 10,000 migrant deaths were recorded, with a significant portion of the victims being Pakistani nationals. This highlights the dangerous lengths to which individuals are willing to go in search of better opportunities in Europe.
The government’s actions are part of a broader effort to combat human trafficking, ensure justice for victims, and prevent further tragedies.
With mounting pressure both locally and internationally, the Pakistani government’s response to the Greece tragedy, as well as similar incidents, will be closely scrutinized as it works to address the illegal migration crisis.
