ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif declared the establishment of a special task force on Friday aimed at completely dismantling human trafficking networks in the country specifically making it easier to prosecute the syndicates involved in it.
The decision comes in the wake of back-to-back tragic incident of boat capsizing incidents where several Pakistani citizens lost their lives as the task force will be headed by the prime minister himself.
The prime minister while chairing a weekly meeting to review the tragic incident involving illegal immigrants, emphasised the government’s commitment to bringing the perpetrators of human trafficking to book at all costs.
“Those involved in this heinous crime of human trafficking will be held accountable and arrests of individuals involved in such syndicates will be accelerated,” he added.
He urged all relevant government bodies including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to intensify efforts in identifying human traffickers while expressing his profound sorrow over the deaths of Pakistani nationals in the boat tragedy, saying that the incident had deeply saddened the entire nation, including himself.
He was briefed in detail on the groups responsible for the tragedy, the ongoing arrests, and the legal actions taken by Pakistani authorities.
The meeting revealed that six organised human trafficking groups have been identified, with 12 first information reports (FIRs) filed and 25 suspects named. Besides, three key individuals have been arrested, and 16 individuals have been added to the passport control list.
The meeting also highlighted the steps being taken to seize vehicles, bank accounts, and other assets linked to the trafficking syndicates.
The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) shared updates on the arrests of suspected officials and personnel involved in the trafficking networks, along with details of an international investigation team’s report.
Sharif instructed authorities to not only track down and dismantle these criminal networks but also ensure that the traffickers face severe penalties.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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