Islamabad (GNP): The World Day Against Trafficking in Persons is observed globally every July 30 to raise awareness of the challenges facing trafficking victims and to strengthen global efforts toward their protection and support.
This year’s theme, “Trapped Behind the Scam,” highlights the growing threat of trafficking for forced criminality, in which criminal networks exploit vulnerable individuals through deception and coercion to carry out crimes — including online scam operations and other cyber-enabled criminal activities that generate significant profits for organized crime groups.
Joint Commemoration in Islamabad
To mark the occasion, representatives from federal ministries, law enforcement, criminal justice institutions, civil society organizations, and the diplomatic community gathered in Islamabad for a joint event organized by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), UNODC, IOM, UNHCR, ILO.
The Sustainable Social Development Organization, the International Centre for Migration Policy Development, and International Returns and Reintegration Assistance.
Speakers at the event emphasized the need for coordinated action to strengthen criminal justice responses, advance prevention efforts, and ensure comprehensive protection, assistance, and reintegration support for trafficking victims.
Pakistan’s Response Efforts
Senior officials from the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development, along with the FIA, outlined Pakistan’s ongoing efforts to combat human trafficking and migrant smuggling while promoting safe and regulated migration pathways.
Key national initiatives discussed included the National Emigration and Welfare Policy, developed under the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development, along with Pakistan’s first dedicated five-year National Action Plans to Counter Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants (2026–2030), developed under the Ministry of Interior and Narcotics Control.
Addressing the evolving nature of these crimes, the FIA reaffirmed its commitment to dismantling the financial and cyber operations of criminal networks, strengthening digital and financial investigations, and holding accountable those who organize, facilitate, or profit from trafficking activities.
Panel Discussion on Digital-Age Trafficking
The event also featured an expert panel titled “Trafficking for Forced Criminality in the Digital Age,” bringing together law enforcement officials, legal experts, and civil society representatives to discuss the growing connection between trafficking and cybercrime, along with strategies to address it.
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The commemoration concluded with participants reaffirming a coordinated, government-wide and society-wide approach to preventing trafficking for forced criminality — one centered on victim identification, protection, and the principle of non-punishment for trafficking victims — while strengthening broader efforts to address the evolving nature of transnational organized crime.
Sohail Majeed is a Special Correspondent at The Diplomatic Insight. He has twelve plus years of experience in journalism & reporting. He covers International Affairs, Diplomacy, UN, Sports, Climate Change, Economy, Technology, and Health.
