The month of February 2008 saw focus on the issue of human trafficking, internationally as well as domestically. A forum-first of its kind was held in Vienna during February 13-15 to raise awareness of this worldwide problem. Organised by the UN Global Initiative to Fight Human Trafficking (UN-GIFT), it was aimed at providing a platform for a new campaign of co-ordinated action to combat human trafficking.
On the national front, the government was criticised in the Senate, on February 27, over the issue of human smuggling that goes on without any check or control in Pakistan, emphasising the urgent need to address the issue more effectively.
On February 15, the Saudi Minister and President of the Saudi Supreme Human Rights Commission discussed, in Riyadh, the issues of human trafficking in the region with Pakistan's caretaker Federal Minister for Human Rights. Earlier, the Turkish Ambassador to Pakistan had called on the caretaker Federal Minister on February 1 in Islamabad, having discussions focused on human trafficking issues.
The severity of human smuggling and trafficking in the country is highlighted in the news appearing in the national press on almost a day-to-day basis. In the month of February 2008 alone, the following news stories appeared in print media:
FEBRUARY 29: 94 Pakistanis deported from Dubai;
FEBRUARY 28: FIA initiates investigation on smuggling of 40 Pakistanis to Iran;
FEBRUARY 27: FIA arrested 2 human traffickers sending Pakistanis to the European countries;
FEBRUARY 25: 33 Pakistanis deported from Turkey, arrive at Islamabad;
FEBRUARY 24: Four human smugglers arrested in Rawalpindi;
FEBRUARY 20: FIA arrests 4 human smugglers from Lahore, Rawalpindi and Okara;
FEBRUARY 16: 4,000 persons suspected to be human traffickers on watch list of FIA;
FEBRUARY 15: 26 Pakistanis deported from the USA, arrested at Islamabad airport;
FEBRUARY 13: International network of human smugglers in Taxila busted;
FEBRUARY 13: 110 Pakistanis deported from Turkey, arrested by the FIA;
FEBRUARY 12: Six human smugglers arrested;
FEBRUARY 11: Fake recruiting agents arrested;
FEBRUARY 9: Five human smugglers arrested;
FEBRUARY 4: 102 Pakistanis deported from Turkey arrive at Islamabad;
FEBRUARY 3: Fake recruiting agent jailed for 15 years.
HORRIFIC STATISTICS: The enormity of the issue is further illustrated in the fact that a total of 138,998 Pakistanis had been deported from 47 countries during the years 2004 and 2005. The latest figures have not made available by the concerned agencies, but it is feared that official statistics for subsequent years may be much higher.
The various reasons reported for the deportation include illegal entry, overstaying, possessing invalid, tempered or fake travel documents, illegal employment and alike.
The highest numbers of these persons were deported from the neighbouring countries, such as Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Oman. Human smuggling is being conducted, on a large scale, through small boats and launches operating between coastal belt of Balochistan and the Gulf States.
It is shocking that as many as 37,540 labourers were repatriated during the years 2004 and 2005, who travelled to Oman through motorboats after paying to the human smugglers. In addition, two batches, one of 4,832 persons in 2006 and another of 1,507 in 2007, were deported from Oman.
A number of cases of detained illegal Pakistani immigrants in many countries have surfaced recently. Italy has arrested 8 people in February 2008 in connection with an Indo-Pak organised crime gang accused of human trafficking. About 16,000 Pakistanis were deported from Spain, Greece, Turkey and Germany in the past whereas almost same numbers are at present imprisoned in these countries. At present there are about 3,000 Pakistanis in jails in Saudi Arabia alone.
GLOBAL MENACE: World over the human trafficking is considered the second largest source of profit in an organised crime, after only narcotics, and remains the fastest growing crime. According to the UN reports the illegal trade earned annual profits in the range of 1.5-2 billion in the 1990s that has swelled in 2000s to 8-9 billion.
It is estimated that over 2.5 million persons from 127 countries are trafficked every year across international borders, which include some 250,000 from South East Asia.
In Pakistan, human trafficking or smuggling of illegal migrants is Rs 20 billion annual trade, and their network is said to be nation-wide, having connections and resources globally. The government's indifference towards the growing human trafficking is apathetic. A UN Anti-trafficking Protocol - known as Palermo Protocol - was enforced in 2005 creating a framework for a crackdown on human smugglers. So far 110 countries have signed the Protocol, but Pakistan has not consented so far.
Every now and then we hear about recruiting rackets operating in the country, swindling the poor and illiterate through the promise of attractive jobs abroad that never exist or materialise. The root factor of the problem and key element network of trafficking consists of recruiting agents and travel agencies who smuggle out Pakistanis to various countries almost on daily basis.
An important step towards curbing the human trafficking could therefore be managing proper administration and regulation of overseas employment business. The perpetrators involved in human trafficking are the recruiting agents---registered or fake---, whether individuals, groups or companies, which carryout malpractices, irregularities and violation of existing rules and regulations as well as of human rights.
MEASURES TO BE ADOPTED: Continuation of the human smuggling trends has dramatically raised the number of trafficked persons due to bad economic conditions---unemployment, poverty and illiteracy. There is a need to reconstruct operational and institutional infrastructure, with emphasis on improved enforcement efforts.
National and regional strategies should be devised with an integrated approach by making principal laws, such as Passport Act 1974, Emigration Policy 1979, Immigration Ordinance 1979 and Rules compatible with Prevention and Control of Human Trafficking Ordinance 2002, and law enforcement actions need to be improved.
Pakistan has signed human trafficking accords with various countries, like Greece, Iran and Turkey. But these steps have not deterred the human trafficking and smuggling. In fact the entire system of recruitment for jobs abroad requires complete restructuring, besides effective legislation and administration, and tougher penalties are the key to deter trafficking.
In addition, measures be adopted by the government to develop and strengthen database on trafficking statistics on the basis of which analysis be carried out about latest trends, sophisticated technology employed, and thus counter measures adopted by the concerned law-enforcing agencies to restrain human trafficking.
But, the foremost need is taking to task the powerful politicians and corrupt officials who are allegedly backing the recruiting rackets. The recent arrest of a former federal minister on the charges of human smuggling and contemplated action against a number of ministers in the AJK government on similar charges amply demonstrates the resourcefulness of the perpetrators.
Comments
Comments are closed.