SHRC and SSDO organize meeting of provincial stakeholder working group – Pakistan

KARACHI: The Sindh Human Rights Commission (SHRC) in collaboration with the Sustainable Social Development Organization (SSDO) organised a meeting of the provincial stakeholders working group in Sindh at a local hotel.

The SSDO and SHRC are working closely with all relevant stakeholders of the Government of Sindh to combat human trafficking and forced labour in the province.

The SHRC and SSDO aim to achieve these goals and help the country take important steps towards ensuring justice, equality and dignity for all its citizens.

Iqbal Ahmed Detho, chairman of the Sindh Human Rights Commission, stressed that the federal law’s operating rules apply only to ICT and urged the provinces to create their own rules.

He informed the public that the draft rules are currently with the Legal Department and that the Ministry of Home Affairs can review them as it falls within their mandate.

He informed that he had visited all the Dar-ul-Amans in Sindh and that SHRC and WDD are working closely together to functionalize Dar-ul-Amans in Jacobabad and Mirpurkhas. He added that Sindh has no legal framework for Dar-ul-Amans. SHRC will draft legislation for regulating these shelters and submit it to the assembly.

He advised that one-stop facilities should be prioritised in high-need cities outside Karachi. He also stressed the need for better monitoring of inter-departmental coordination committees.

He also highlighted the lack of a daycare centre within the Secretariat.

Syed Kausar Abbas, Director of SSDO, welcomed the audience and discussed two cases of human trafficking in his speech.

He stressed that prosecution remains a major issue. Conviction rate and FIR processes were also discussed. He noted that social media has contributed to the increase in human trafficking trends, making youth particularly vulnerable. SSDO is working to create local awareness, which is crucial. Child trafficking has increased, with the TIP report highlighting this issue.

He also mentioned SSDO and SHRC training sessions with Sindh Police on human trafficking. He stressed that TIP cases are not reported properly and stressed the need for provinces to develop their own rules on human trafficking. Monitoring of TIP meetings at district level is also necessary. Advocate Rida Tahir, Gender & Child Rights Expert, discussed cases of domestic violence and highlighted the loopholes in FIR process and investigation procedures.

SSP Abdul Raheem Sherazi stressed the need for all relevant departments including Social Welfare, Law, Home, Police and Labour to work together in creating the rules for the Trafficking in Persons Act. He also mentioned that SHRC and SSDO have conducted numerous training sessions for parliamentarians, government officials, police and media personnel on human trafficking.

Shabana Kausar Shahani, Additional Secretary, Department of Law and Parliamentary Affairs, Government of Sindh, emphasises the need for establishing clear rules and procedures to support effective enforcement of TIP-related laws.

Ali Murad Baladi, deputy director of the Anti-Human Trafficking Circle at the Federal Investigation Agency in Karachi region, said human trafficking mainly involves sexual exploitation and forced labour.

Wali Mohammad Qureshi, Deputy Director of Women Development Department, stated that women victims of trafficking can stay in Safe Houses for a short period but for longer stays they can be accommodated in Dar-ul-Amans under WDD. If a case falls under the jurisdiction of WDD, they can seek help from police for recovery efforts.

Fatima Saima, Deputy Secretary for Foreigners and Human Rights, Ministry of Home Affairs, Sindh Government, stressed that the rules should be multi-sectoral and reflect the involvement of all relevant departments.

Lajwanti, a communications specialist at the Good Governance Treaty Implementation Cell, Human Rights Department, Government of Sindh, said their cell collects data from various departments and reports it to the relevant UN agency. Zulfiqar Abbasi, DSP of the Human Rights Cell, Sindh Police, said 32 cases have been registered under the Prevention of Trafficking in Persons Act, 2018.

He also informed that the Sindh Police is actively working on increasing public awareness on various issues through FM radio.

Fareeda Tahir, Public Relations Officer at SHRC, suggested that the Treaty Implementation Cell should be made responsible for tracking cases of human trafficking and forced labour in Sindh as it already collects data from various departments.

It was decided that SHRC would send letters to the departments requesting information on the number of cases registered and the number of meetings held at their headquarters and district offices.

The meeting concluded with a renewed commitment to continue the fight against human trafficking in Sindh. The SHRC, SSDO and its partners will focus on improving victim support services, enhancing data collection and reporting mechanisms and advocating for stronger legislative measures.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024