A review meeting on the measures taken to combat human trafficking in the country was chaired by Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif. During the meeting, the Prime Minister emphasized that all institutions should play an active role in ending human trafficking. He also directed that severe legal action be taken against those involved in this heinous trade, which harms the country’s reputation.
The Prime Minister instructed the immediate filling of vacancies in the FIA (Federal Investigation Agency) and called for the establishment of a standardized system for screening passengers traveling abroad at airports. Additionally, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting was directed to launch an effective awareness campaign about illegal overseas travel and human trafficking.
During the meeting, the Prime Minister instructed the FIA to seek cooperation from Interpol for the extradition of the most wanted human traffickers involved in trafficking abroad. The meeting also included a briefing on the actions taken so far against human traffickers.
The briefing highlighted that, between June 2023 and December 2024, several human traffickers had been arrested, and many facilitators, including government officials, had been dismissed or were facing disciplinary action. It was also reported that punitive measures were being taken against government officials involved in human trafficking. More than 500 million rupees worth of assets from human traffickers had been seized, and the process of further confiscation was underway. Additionally, special prosecutors had been appointed for the prosecution of human traffickers.
The meeting was attended by Federal Minister for Economic Affairs, Ahad Khan Cheema, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Attaullah Tarar, and senior officials from relevant institutions.
