Human trafficking, a staggering human rights infringement and contemporary form of servitude, impacts millions worldwide. Moreover, involuntary slavery, forced labour and sexual exploitation are examples of exploitative uses for human trafficking. Coordinated international measures based on solid data, all-encompassing regulations and unyielding political will are necessary to combat human trafficking. The issue in Pakistan is complex, with particular difficulties stemming from the social, economic and geopolitical environment of the nation. The theme of world day trafficking in persons (TIP) 2025, “Human Trafficking is Organized Crime – End the Exploitation,” emphasizes that stopping this serious injustice necessitates destroying intricate criminal networks, safeguarding victims and calling for international cooperation.
Pakistan, which is located at the intersection of important migration routes, is a country that sees a variety of trafficking activities, such as forced prostitution, child trafficking and bonded labour. To comprehend human trafficking, clarity on a few fundamental ideas is necessary. Human trafficking is the illegal recruitment or transfer of individuals, usually for work or sexual exploitation, by deceit, coercion, or force. The quantitative and qualitative information gathered on human trafficking cases is referred to as Trafficking in Persons (TIP) data. This information is essential for adjusting interventions and assessing their effectiveness. A serious kind of human trafficking that is common in South Asia is bonded labour, which binds individuals to forced labour in exchange for oppressive terms to repay debts. Lastly, the legal, medical, psychological, and social services required to assist victims in their recovery and reintegration into society are included in survivor protection and rehabilitation.
The Pakistani government has made significant progress in combating human trafficking by implementing data-based tools and policy reforms after realizing these difficulties. These initiatives are in line with global frameworks and demonstrate a growing recognition that stopping human trafficking necessitates multifaceted approaches that incorporate partnership, prosecution, prevention and protection. In an effort to enhance legislation against human trafficking and migrant smuggling, the Parliament of Pakistan has passed the Prevention of Trafficking in Persons (Amendment) Bill 2025, the Prevention of Smuggling of Migrants (Amendment) Bill 2025 and the Emigration (Amendment) Bill 2025. Furthermore, The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) created the International Classification of Trafficking in Persons (IC-TIP) framework, which is one of the most critical worldwide developments. Countries may now discuss trafficking trends and occurrences in a common language thanks to this historic initiative, which offers a standardized framework for gathering and evaluating data connected to human trafficking.
A pragmatic strategy based on four essential pillars including prevention, protection, prosecution and partnership buttress the battle against human trafficking. By addressing underlying issues including poverty, prevention seeks to empower and raise awareness in order to lessen the estimated 50 million victims worldwide. The focus of protection is on identifying and helping victims; even if more than 75,000 victims were identified in 2022, rehabilitation depends on improved strategies including survivor-centric support. Traffickers are held accountable through prosecution, although worldwide conviction rates are remarkably low (about 5,000 per year, a 38 percent decrease since 2015), calling for more robust legal frameworks and international collaboration. Additionally, the equally glaring fact is that as many as 800,000 people are leaving Pakistan annually according to the report of thr 4th Migration Trends Analysis Report for Pakistan published in the 1st Quarter of 2024.
The analysis of the latest surveys of UNODC, ILO, IOM and walk free are massively eye opening.  Further delving deep, it reveals that UNODC reports a 25 percent increase in trafficking victims in 2022 in comparison to pre-pandemic 2019, depicting children and forced labour cases are surging at an alarming rate. Further, vulnerable groups including women and girls remained the multitude of victims, particularly in sexual exploitation and forced labour. The International Labour Organization (ILO), International Organization of Migration (IOM) and Walk Free estimate around 50 million people reside in the grips of modern slavery across the globe, including 28 million in forced labour and 22 million in forced marriages.
Pakistan has made some progress despite obstacles like poverty, illiteracy, social shame and institutional lethargy. By international norms, officials have integrated aspects of victim support and contemporary policing. The creation of national action plans that prioritize the identification, rescue, rehabilitation and reintegration of survivors is one example of this. The destruction of trafficking syndicates through improved investigative methods and judicial reforms is another goal of these initiatives. President Asif Ali Zardari also emphasized the need for international and collective cooperation at recent international gatherings. To combat human trafficking, he advocated for increased cross-border cooperation, legal changes and public awareness initiatives. His remarks underscored that Pakistan’s approach, while still a work in progress, demonstrates a commitment to tackling the issue holistically.
In Pakistan, ending the cycle of human trafficking requires a comprehensive, multifaceted strategy. Since it increases resistance to exploitation, it is essential to empower marginalized people through viable economic opportunity and holistic education. However, strengthening the legal and law enforcement institutions at the same time guarantees those nasty human traffickers are held responsible. Through this endeavours, Pakistan will be enabled to break up the networks of exploitation and create a future where everyone’s freedom is safe and unassailable by encouraging a shared awareness and cooperative effort among the government, civil society and individuals.
Pakistan’s endeavours on the global scene are a part of a larger patchwork of regional and international projects that have yielded encouraging outcomes. Through more vigorous trafficking prosecutions, more financing for victim services and the establishment of inter-ministerial groups tasked with coordinating, nations like Bulgaria and Poland have institutionalized anti-trafficking efforts. These nations have constructed shelters, set up victim counseling facilities, raised the number of convictions and given survivors restitution awards. This is setting benchmarks that Pakistan and other nations can emulate. Such reforms highlight the benefits of an integrated approach combining legal rigour, victim support and interagency cooperation.
Notwithstanding, the incumbent DG Raja Riffat Mukhtar has significantly enhanced the FIA’s endeavours against human trafficking. Recent reports reflect multiple coordinated crackdowns, leading to the arrest of dozens of individuals involved in trafficking, visa fraud and illegal currency exchange networks. Reports from July 2025, for example, describe the capture of 10 individuals, including “most-wanted human smugglers,” and the seizure of large amounts of illegal money. These unsparing steps, along with increased internal responsibility within the FIA itself, demonstrate a strong commitment to destroying these illegal businesses and safeguarding those who are most in need.
Trafficking necessitates laws that prioritize protection and prevention while penalizing offenders. Raising awareness is essential for changing attitudes and lowering demand for exploitative services, both in vulnerable populations and among the general public. Adopting victim-centred law enforcement strategies that protect the rights and dignity of survivors is equally essential. When combined with specific national objectives, Pakistan’s continuous adoption of international standards such as IC-TIP enhances accountability and resource allocation, guaranteeing data-driven and actionable initiatives.
Additionally, human trafficking is a pervasive issue that intersects with organized crime syndicates, gender inequality, migration and poverty. Conditions of vulnerability, when people are exposed to lies or compulsion due to economic desperation, are ideal for exploitation. Traffickers posing as employment facilitators may prey on migrant workers traveling overseas or relocating within the nation. Due in part to persisting cultural and social biases that restrict their access to social protections and economic opportunities, women and girls are disproportionately victims of sexual exploitation. It is crucial to address these underlying factors in addition to providing urgent law enforcement and survivor support.
Given that traffickers act internationally and take advantage of weaknesses in legal systems and enforcement, international collaboration is essential. It is strategically necessary for Pakistan to cooperate with its neighbours, including Afghanistan, Iran, and India. Coordinated survivor care programmes can reduce the impunity of trafficking networks, synchronize legal measures, intelligence sharing, and joint investigations. The foundation for long-lasting, transnational responses is laid by the pledges made by the international community, which are backed by institutions such as the International Labour Organization, UNODC, and numerous civil society organizations.
The overarching message is that fighting human trafficking is a complex issue that calls for consistent commitment, a solid body of evidence, judicial integrity, survivor-centred support and cross-sector collaborations. This is important for politicians, advocates and the general public. The way forward entails turning empathy into practical action and shedding light on the hidden lives trapped by human trafficking. Pakistan’s slight but significant improvement indicates the challenge as well as the potential for advancement through institutional tenacity and teamwork. Societies cannot hope to restore victims’ independence and dignity unless they bring attention to the harsh reality of human trafficking. In addition to preserving the rule of law, this will create communities that are safer and more equitable for coming generations.
In Pakistan, ending the cycle of human trafficking requires a comprehensive, multifaceted strategy. Since it increases resistance to exploitation, it is essential to empower marginalized people through viable economic opportunity and holistic education. However, strengthening the legal and law enforcement institutions at the same time guarantees those nasty human traffickers are held responsible. Through this endeavours, Pakistan will be enabled to break up the networks of exploitation and create a future where everyone’s freedom is safe and unassailable by encouraging a shared awareness and cooperative effort among the government, civil society and individuals.
