Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has ordered authorities to take decisive action against human trafficking, which he says is tarnishing Pakistan’s global image, and has demanded a report on cases involving Pakistani nationals over the past year.
The Prime Minister, who chaired a meeting on the deaths of Pakistani nationals in the recent capsizing of a ship near Greece, expressed dismay at the recurring tragedies and the lack of strong action against traffickers. “The recurrence of such incidents is due to slow actions against the people involved,” he said, recalling a similar incident last year in which 262 Pakistanis lost their lives.
Sharif ordered the immediate implementation of the Integrated Border Management System (IBMS) to monitor international travel and curb human trafficking.
Officials informed the prime minister that 174 suspects had been brought before the courts this year, with four convictions. He sought further updates on the anti-trafficking public awareness campaign and directed the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and the Foreign Office to submit a comprehensive report.
Sharif also emphasized enhanced cooperation with international organizations to prevent such tragedies and called for stricter punishments for perpetrators.
The meeting was attended by Federal Ministers Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Syed Mohsin Naqvi, Ahad Cheema and Attaullah Tarar along with Special Assistant Tariq Fatemi and senior officials.
