CJP asks govt to form policies to end menace of human trafficking

ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Mian Saqib Nisar Tuesday criticized the Federal Investigation Agency's (FIA) failure to curb human trafficking in the country and urged the government to formulate policies to help put an end to the menace.

A three-member bench of the court headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar and comprising Justice Umar Ata Bandial and Justice Ijaz Ul Ahsan heard the suo motu case regarding the killing of 20 labourers whose bullet-riddled bodies were found in the Turbat and Buleda tehsils of Balochistan's Kech district last year.

The chief justice expressed concern over widespread human smuggling networks in the country.

He remarked that the law enforcement agencies should have tried to curb the problem themselves instead of the Supreme Court taking notice of the matter.

Director General (DG) FIA, Bashir Ahmed and secretaries of the Foreign Ministry and Interior Ministry also appeared in court.

The DG FIA informed the court that an organised gang in some areas of Punjab, which include Gujrat, Lala Musa, Sirai Alamgir and Mandi Bahauddin etc. was involved in smuggling people out of the country.

The chief justice asked what steps can be taken to cure this cancer? "The human trafficking had become a major issue for the country," he observed.

Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua also criticised the FIA and regretted that the agency was unable to curb human smuggling.

Chief Justice Saqib Nisar observed that it was the government's responsibility to formulate a policy to put an end to human trafficking in the country.

He advised the Foreign Ministry and Interior Ministry to prepare recommendations for the government to assist authorities in the matter.

The chief justice remarked that the court would issue orders to the Punjab government to build FIA offices in cities like Gujrat and Gujranwala.

The court summoned the advocate general Punjab to the next hearing of the case on February 12.