The threats and remedies of human trafficking – The Nation

Human trafficking includes unjust practices including recruiting, transporting, transferring, harboring, or receiving persons through the use of force, coercion, deception, or other means for the purpose of exploiting them. This exploitation can take many forms, be it sexual exploitation, forced labor, domestic servitude, forced marriage or even extreme measures like organ removal. This crime is a serious violation of human rights and is considered a modern-day form of slavery. Victims of trafficking are often vulnerable individuals who are lured with false promises of employment, education, or a better life and are then exploited for profit. Traffickers may use violence, threats, and other forms of coercion to control their victims and prevent them from leaving. The purpose of human trafficking is exploitation, such as forced labor, sexual exploitation, or organ removal. In contrast, the purpose of human smuggling is to facilitate the illegal crossing of international borders, often for economic or political reasons. Human trafficking involves ongoing exploitation of victims, while human smuggling is a one-time event. Trafficking victims are often controlled through physical or psychological means, and their exploitation may continue for months or even years. Smuggled migrants, on the other hand, are usually free to go once they have crossed the borders. Despite being deemed a criminal offense, human smuggling is generally considered a misdemeanor offense under immigration law. While both activities are illegal, human trafficking is considered a more serious crime because it involves the consistent exploitation and abuse of vulnerable people.

Surely human trafficking presents a danger to individuals which ultimately affects families and even a whole society but further, it is a threat to national security. It undermines social stability as its impacts snowball into the creation of social instability by fueling corruption, organized crime, and violence, which then weaken governments and harm social cohesion. Trafficking also undermines the rule of law and fosters a culture of impunity. With an already under-implemented constitution, Pakistan, unfortunately, struggles to penalize let alone catch the perpetrators. Public health is also threatened by human trafficking since trafficked persons are often subjected to poor living conditions and inadequate medical care, thus exposing them to a range of health problems, including infectious diseases. This can pose a public health risk, as trafficked persons can spread diseases to the wider community. In light of Pakistan's current economic circumstances, human trafficking only worsens this state as it undermines economic development since it reduces productivity, increases healthcare costs, and fosters corruption. Trafficking also puts our country's reputation at risk, which can discourage much-needed foreign investment and even aid for emergencies such as floods. Human trafficking works as a catalyst in facilitating other forms of criminal activity such as drug trafficking, arms trafficking, and money laundering. Traffickers may use their profits from trafficking to finance other criminal activities. This criminal activity facilitation only further burdens our government sector organizations ranging from National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to Drug Regulatory Authority (DRA) and even in-field police officials. Traffickers are clever and keep finding new ways to hide away. They can create a vulnerable population as trafficked persons are often exploited and abused, which can make them vulnerable to radicalization and recruitment by extremist groups. This can pose a national security threat, as trafficked persons may be coerced into carrying out terrorist acts.

Addressing human trafficking requires a multifaceted approach that involves prevention, protection, prosecution, and partnerships among various stakeholders. Some solutions to this involve prevention measures that should focus on addressing the root causes of human trafficking, such as poverty, discrimination, and lack of education. This can be done through public awareness campaigns, education programs, and economic empowerment initiatives. The protection of victims is also essential in combating human trafficking. Governments and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) should provide safe and supportive services, including shelter, medical care, legal aid, and psychological support to help victims recover and reintegrate into society. However, a big issue in Pakistan is the lack of prosecution. Our primary struggle is the lack of implementation of policies we have already worked to set into place. Perpetrators of human trafficking must be held accountable and convicted for their crimes. Governments should strengthen their legal frameworks, provide training for law enforcement officials, and increase efforts to investigate and prosecute human trafficking cases. Partnerships among governments, NGOs, civil society, and the private sector are crucial alongside international cooperation in combating human trafficking. As human trafficking is a global problem, international cooperation is essential. Governments should work together to develop and implement international legal frameworks, protocols, and standards to combat human trafficking. Therefore, human trafficking is indeed a humanitarian crisis and a national security threat because it undermines social stability, poses a threat to public health, undermines economic development, facilitates other forms of criminal activity, and creates a vulnerable population that can be exploited by extremist groups. We must, however, focus on positive action by having a comprehensive and collaborative approach that involves prevention, protection, prosecution, partnerships, and international cooperation.