Nexus between Afghan and Indian human trafficking

When neighbors not only turn a blind eye to their own criminal problems but actively promote them, what are the consequences? Pakistan’s recent action to neutralize an international human trafficking network involving Afghans and Indians painfully exposes the shortcomings of both India and Afghanistan in their efforts to control transnational crime within their countries. As a result, Pakistan has cemented its role as a regional leader in this area, a stark contrast to the apathy of its neighbors. Shutting down this network is not only a triumph for Pakistan; it is also a major regional security achievement. Pakistan’s swift action has been important, but the involvement of Indian and Afghan nationals suggests significant weaknesses in the governance systems of both countries. This human trafficking network is specifically dedicated to creating false documents, including passports and visas, and preys on the desperation of those seeking a better life abroad. Pakistani law enforcement revealed a shocking reality: this was not just a profit-driven scam, but one element of a larger strategy to undermine Pakistan’s position on the world stage.

Afghanistan’s impact on this network is deeply troubling. The network’s use by Afghan nationals to seek false political asylum in Pakistan reveals another element of the Taliban’s inability to police its own borders and population. The way Afghanistan is abusing Pakistan’s already strained asylum provisions underscores the risk created by regional instability. Another concern is the network’s ability to duplicate forged documents, exacerbating the challenges for Pakistan’s humanitarian response and adding further strain to a struggling system. India, on the other hand, is also facing serious charges. Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) found that Indian nationals were involved, suggesting possible deliberate manoeuvres to destabilize Pakistan. Investigations found that Indian facilitators were using illicit networks through Dubai to enable individuals to enter India with forged documents, some of which bore fraudulent Indian government stamps. This begs the question: was this simply criminal opportunism or a strategic move by some to ruin Pakistan’s image? The fact that India is not an active part of human trafficking networks indicates a worrying level of participation, which could have serious diplomatic implications.

Beyond the geopolitical penalty, human trafficking has a high cost to society. Trafficking networks target the most helpless individuals and exploit those engaged in illegal migration. The impact is social, not just on the victims but also on Pakistan’s economic systems. This is money siphoned out of the legitimate economy, money that is not available to pay for nation-building. Furthermore, these operations deprive entities of the human capital that can foster real learning. Particularly able-bodied and young adults who could otherwise be productive contributors to the growth of Pakistan’s economy are lured by false promises of better-paying jobs, only to end up as victims of human traffickers. The compounded loss of this exploitation has a secondary effect: it erodes social capital, as the brightest people in a community are taken by traffickers. These networks exploit hope to lure families, who, after spending all their money on hiring smugglers, end up being deported or seeing their loved ones imprisoned or disappearing into the black market.

Although Pakistani law enforcement agencies, especially FIA, have broken this particular network, eradicating human trafficking is a global concern. Pakistan’s Ministry of Interior has demanded that India and Afghanistan should detain their nationals for these crimes and increase cooperation between regional countries. The recipients need to work together to address the root causes of human trafficking, as these networks are likely to adapt in ways that allow them to take advantage of the weaknesses within a particular region. The timely dismantling of this network in Pakistan confirms its positive compatibility and contributes to its recognition as a competent global player in fighting crime, while its neighbors continue to ignore its nature. Human trafficking networks are notorious for their ability to change and adapt within the contexts in which they operate. These criminal organizations have time and again demonstrated their flexibility to adapt to changes and evade arrest, and thus, in the absence of constant international pressure, they will continue to take advantage of weaknesses within regional governance systems. However, to completely eliminate the problem of human trafficking, Pakistan must maintain its leadership in moving towards a collective international approach. A priority should be joint efforts and intelligence sharing with countries it is allied with, such as the UAE. Pakistan has already cracked down on human trafficking by blocking URLs and restrictions on social media under the Electronic Crimes Act of 2016 to combat human trafficking on social media.

The victims of these trafficking networks have close relatives who rely on word of mouth. This means that there is a need to start at the grassroots level in the form of campaigns. These campaigns must focus on the real dangers, and also remove the temptations that traffickers place on immigrants and offer other, legal means of immigration.

Pakistan has stressed the need to continue disrupting these networks by continuing diplomatic pressure in Afghanistan and India to urge them to stop supporting human trafficking networks. This network involved Indian and Afghan nationals and this highlights the regional cross-border conflicts and criminal exploitation.