Government plans urgent law reforms to tackle human trafficking

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly of Pakistan discussed the pressing issue of human trafficking during its latest session, with the federal government announcing plans to introduce new legislation aimed at curbing the menace, ARY News reported.

According to reports, Minister for Law Azam Nazir Tarar assured lawmakers that the proposed legislation would be presented within days, reflecting the Prime Minister’s special focus on this matter.

During the session, the Minister for Parliamentary Affairs highlighted that 176 human traffickers were arrested last year, and properties worth Rs420 million were seized.

He also revealed that significant fines, ranging from Rs10 million to Rs20 million, had been imposed. Preventive actions included offloading 23,400 individuals last year and over 27,000 this year to curb illegal migration from Pakistan.

The government of Pakistan disclosed that 20 FIA officials are under investigation, with institutional action underway against 30 others. Dedicated courts will soon hear human trafficking cases to ensure swift justice, while task forces and monitoring systems have been established to oversee efforts.

A bill with 105 amendments to criminal laws, aimed at expediting case resolutions, will be tabled in the current session.

Emphasizing the severity of the issue, lawmakers cited unemployment as a significant factor driving human trafficking in Pakistan.

The government of Pakistan reassured that measures were being taken daily under the Prime Minister’s supervision, with weekly progress meetings and plans to collaborate with countries requiring manpower.

Earlier, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) of Pakistan carried out a significant operation in Gujrat’s city Jalalpur Jattan and apprehended accused involved in human trafficking.

As per FIA spokesperson, arrested individual was a former employee of Police department, identified as Hasan Butt which arrested during FIA raid.

The spokesperson also revealed that accuse had been wanted by the Islamabad zone police since 2022.

Similarly, FIA circle Abbottabad carried out a significant operation in which an Afghan land-route agent identified as Afser Khan arrested.

According to details, the suspect, a resident of Afghanistan, is reportedly the brother of human trafficker Qari Jan Muhammad and is accused of being deeply involved in trafficking citizens to Europe through sea routes originating from Libya.

The arrest was made in Haripur, where the suspect was apprehended during an intelligence-based operation.