Human trafficking

Pakistan is listed as Tier 2 in the U.S. Department of State’s 2024 Trafficking in Persons Report. Human trafficking is modern-day slavery, exploiting broken, impoverished lives for profit. While important laws were passed in 2018, including the Prevention of Trafficking in Persons Act and the Prevention of Smuggling of Migrants Act, much remains to be done to protect the rights of victims of human trafficking and smuggling. The laws are a step in the right direction, but their implementation and enforcement leave glaring gaps that leave countless victims vulnerable. Human trafficking in Pakistan takes multiple forms, including forced labor, sexual exploitation, and child trafficking. Vulnerable populations, particularly women and children from marginalized communities, are disproportionately affected. Traffickers prey on the desperation and lack of resources of these individuals, exposing them to severe abuse and exploitation.

Human trafficking is a transnational problem involving millions of people. Alarmingly, this sinister trade has expanded significantly amid rising inflation and unemployment in Pakistan. This troubling environment has been further exacerbated by widespread apathy, corruption and a lack of institutional oversight. It took tragic events, including one that claimed 300 Pakistani lives off the coast of Greece, for authorities to take action against traffickers in the country. However, the complexity is created by an often ignorant and unresponsive police force, which may include individuals complicit in the trafficking. This results in vulnerable groups such as women, children, illiterate men and refugees being dismissed as mere abductions or their complaints being ignored. Authorities must not treat victims as criminals. Instead, priority should be given to equipping law enforcement with the necessary knowledge, technology and financial resources to identify and punish offenders. In addition, security services must have clear strategies to target the elite individuals at the top of the trafficking network.