Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif chaired a weekly meeting to address the tragic loss of Pakistani lives in a recent migrant boat accident. During the meeting, the Prime Minister announced the establishment of a special task force to combat human trafficking in Pakistan.
The task force, to be directly overseen by the Prime Minister, will intensify operations to apprehend human traffickers. “Those responsible for this inhumane crime will face justice,” he asserted. He also directed all relevant institutions, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to take an active role in identifying and prosecuting traffickers.
Expressing profound grief over the incident, PM Shehbaz Sharif stated, “The devastating loss of lives has deeply saddened me and the entire nation.”
The Prime Minister received a briefing on actions taken against human trafficking networks, which included:
- Identification of six organized trafficking groups.
- Registration of 12 FIRs and identification of 25 suspects.
- Arrests of three key individuals and inclusion of 16 names on the passport control list.
- Seizure of vehicles, bank accounts, and other assets tied to the traffickers.
The meeting also reviewed measures against suspected Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) officials and findings from an investigative committee sent abroad.
PM Shehbaz Sharif emphasized the need for swift, strict, and exemplary punishments for those involved in human smuggling, directing authorities to dismantle trafficking networks effectively.
Federal Ministers Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Azam Nazeer Tarar, Ahsan Iqbal, Attaullah Tarar, Special Assistant Tariq Fatemi, and senior officials were present at the meeting.
