Shafaqna Pakistan | by Arsal Mir- Criminal practices are driven by multiple socioeconomic factors, with exploitation of the poor for enormous profits being a primary motivator. Pakistan’s appearance on Tier 2 of the 2024 Trafficking in Persons Report by the USA’s State Department underscores this issue. In light of frequent human trafficking cases, KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi’s recent emphasis on awareness is a welcome step. He has called for broad education to combat human trafficking and migrant smuggling, backed by information and legal guidance. In an interactive session focused on media’s role in reporting these issues, Mr. Kundi highlighted essential areas: safeguarding the identity and dignity of victims, evaluating law enforcement’s effectiveness, and connecting victims to legal aid offered by the government and NGO’s.
However, the persistence of trafficking reveals deep systemic issues. The government has yet to establish a professional, unbiased police force or to empower departments responsible for protecting women, children, and laborers—free from the influence of patronage. Despite the 2018 passage of the Prevention of Trafficking in Persons Act and the Prevention of Smuggling of Migrants Act, victims’ rights are still poorly defended due to lax enforcement. Pakistan’s ratification of the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons in 2022 is a step forward, but the country has not yet joined the UNTOC’s Trafficking in Persons Protocol.
Substantial reforms are urgently needed to dismantle the prevailing culture of impunity and official collusion, essential for effective law enforcement. Combatting transnational organized crime demands a strategic framework based on best practices outlined in international conventions. The state must confront the reality that longstanding social injustices and tolerance of exploitation create an unsafe environment for its marginalized communities and hinder socioeconomic progress. Addressing these issues is crucial if Pakistan aims to shed its reputation for enabling exploitative practices and build a secure, just society.
Source: Shafaqna Pakistan
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