Islamabad (Web Desk): President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif have urged Pakistanis to stay vigilant and help authorities identify human traffickers and their networks, stressing that public support is vital to eliminating the crime.
In separate messages issued on the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, both leaders said human trafficking can only be defeated through continuous government action, public awareness and active citizen participation.
President Zardari described human trafficking as one of the worst human rights violations of the modern age, saying criminal groups prey on people seeking jobs or escaping conflict, often leading to tragic deaths during illegal sea journeys.
He identified poverty, conflict, unemployment, lack of education and limited awareness about legal migration as the main drivers of trafficking.
The President also warned about online scams used by cybercriminals to trap young people and called for stronger law enforcement, digital awareness, better employment opportunities and nationwide public education campaigns.
President Zardari said that Pakistan has strengthened cooperation between the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and international partners, improved intelligence-based operations, tightened border controls and increased efforts to dismantle trafficking networks and rescue victims.
Urging citizens to become "the eyes and ears of our nation," President Zardari asked people to report suspicious overseas job offers, unsafe travel plans, missing children and cases of labour exploitation.
He said victims should be treated with compassion and provided rehabilitation instead of being stigmatised.
Reaffirming Pakistan's commitment to working with global partners, he stressed the need to create more opportunities for young people so they are not driven into the hands of traffickers.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Pakistan marked the day with renewed determination to combat human trafficking, calling it a serious organised crime that exploits vulnerable people across borders.
He said tackling the menace requires coordinated legal, administrative and social measures at both national and international levels.
The prime minister said the government has adopted a comprehensive strategy to dismantle trafficking networks, empowering the FIA and other law enforcement agencies to prevent such crimes.
He added that Pakistan is expanding cooperation with provincial governments, INTERPOL, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and other international partners, while specialised FIA units are receiving training to protect victims and prosecute offenders.
PM Shehbaz urged every Pakistani to remain alert, report suspicious activities through FIA helplines and protect vulnerable communities from exploitation.
He emphasised that trafficking victims deserve legal protection, psychological care and rehabilitation, reaffirming the government's resolve to eradicate human trafficking and ensure a safer and more prosperous future for the country's youth.