Pakistan and UNODC enhance collaboration to combat human trafficking

Islamabad: Pakistan’s law enforcement agency and United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) have agreed to enhance collaboration to monitor and combat human trafficking — an issue that concerns all regional countries.

Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) of Pakistan and UNODC announced the collaboration in its second ‘Public-Private Partnership Conference on Trafficking in Persons’, held on April 17 in Islamabad, aimed at increasing cooperation among key government stakeholders and the private sector, which includes civil society, non-governmental organisations, and private corporations.

Stressing the importance of public-private partnership, Davor Raus, Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Officer, UNODC Vienna, said “partnership between governments and the private sector in preventing and fighting all forms of trafficking in persons has become the need of the hour. It is with collective efforts that we can defeat the menace [of trafficking] and make the world a safer place.”

The conference emphasised on ramping up efforts to improve understanding among all stakeholders to prevent trafficking. As “every sector is making efforts to fight this menace, but no coordination exists between relevant stakeholders to address this issue holistically” pointed out Naveed Ahmad Shinwari, UNODC Consultant.

Ahmad Mukkarram, Additional Director General Immigration FIA, in his speech said that, “such engagement helps improve communication and raise awareness of relevant stakeholders on the issue. It helps recognise the victims and enhances delivery of service.” Appreciating the efforts of UNODC and the assistance provided by the US Department of State, he said, “it is due to these efforts that the law against trafficking in persons has been enacted in Pakistan.”

Mufakhar Adeel, Additional Director Immigration FIA, briefed the participants on the continuous efforts of the agency to curb the trafficking crime, while shedding light on international and national norms and practices.

Lucy Coburn, US Embassy Islamabad, Samantha Novick and Andrea Balint, US State Department’s Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, also participated in the conference. The participants expressed their resolve to continue collaboration with public partners to enhance understanding of human trafficking and of the role of the private sector.