Islamabad (Web Desk): Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has called for increased coordination among government agencies to tackle the growing issue of human trafficking in Pakistan.
Presiding over a meeting regarding prevention of human trafficking in Islamabad today, he emphasized the need for urgent and decisive action to curb this illegal activity, which tarnishes the country's image internationally.
The prime minister directed authorities to identify and hold accountable any officials within the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) who may be complicit in facilitating traffickers.
He stressed that prompt and effective measures must be taken to address the situation and urged the completion of ongoing investigations, with concrete proposals for action to be submitted soon.
The prime minister also expressed concern over the delayed response to the tragic boat capsizing incident that occurred in 2023, where many Pakistanis lost their lives.
He pointed out that such incidents should serve as a wake-up call for more immediate intervention.
During the meeting, officials provided updates on the situation, including the identification of five Pakistanis among the victims of the recent Greek boat disaster.
The meeting was briefed that Pakistani Embassy in Athens can be contacted on the helpline number +30-6943850188 and the Crisis Management Unit of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Islamabad on telephone number 051-9207887 for obtaining any kind of information and assistance regarding the boat incident.
The meeting was briefed that the that the victims of human trafficking belonged to certain regions in Pakistan, particularly Gujranwala, Gujrat, Sialkot and Mandi Bahauddin.
It was informed that the government is focusing on enhancing legal frameworks to better combat this issue and ensure stronger deterrence against traffickers.
The meeting was briefed that are also underway to improve inter-departmental collaboration to prevent such incidents in the future and protect vulnerable citizens from falling prey to traffickers.