Islamabad, Pakistan - September 25, 2023 – The International Organization for Migration (IOM) Pakistan, in collaboration with the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), has successfully conducted 15 comprehensive trainings across Pakistan to enhance the capacity of government and civil society stakeholders in their efforts to combat human trafficking and migrant smuggling by adopting a victim-centered approaches which prioritize the needs, rights, and well-being of victims and individuals at risk.

Since February 2023, IOM Pakistan trained over 386 participants from over 44 districts, including Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi, Quetta, Peshawar, Muzaffarabad, Gilgit, Sialkot, Gujrat, Kasur and Jhelum. Adopting a structured approach, training sessions were jointly delivered by the FIA and targeted members of the Anti-Human Trafficking Committees notified at the national, provincial and district levels. The notification of the Anti-Human Trafficking Committees is a recent initiative of the Government of Pakistan that aims to strengthen coordination mechanisms amongst key stakeholders such as the District Administration Authorities, FIA, Police, Social Welfare Departments, Labor Departments, civil society actors.

The nationwide trainings spanning 10 months equipped key stakeholders with the necessary knowledge and skills to actively support efforts to combat human trafficking and protect individuals at risk, with a specific focus on prevention and safeguarding. Moreover, these sessions raised awareness among stakeholders about the challenges posed by human trafficking and migrant smuggling in Pakistan, fostering meaningful discussions on how to strengthen the roles of these groups in addressing these issues.

Rai Nasrullah, Deputy Director of the Anti-Human Smuggling (AHS) wing at FIA, commended IOM for its highly effective discussion-based approach. “IOM's trainings had played a pivotal role in enhancing the capacity of FIA officials, contributing significantly to their professional development and readiness for the task at hand”, he emphasized.

The success of these trainings highlights the commitment of IOM Pakistan and FIA to addressing the challenges of human trafficking and migrant smuggling in Pakistan through collaborative and coordinated efforts. By improving victim identification, screening, and referral procedures, IOM Pakistan aims to strengthen mechanisms to ensure safety and well-being of the most vulnerable.

The inputs gained from these trainings will be leveraged to develop and implement further comprehensive training programs. This ongoing commitment underscores the dedication of IOM Pakistan and FIA to continuously enhance the capacity of stakeholders and strengthen the fight against human trafficking and migrant smuggling.

The trainings were conducted with support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Government of Denmark, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Government of Australia, and EU/ UNODC within framework of the GLO.ACT project.

For more information about IOM Pakistan, please visit https://www.iom.int/pakistan or contact email:iomislamabad@iom.int

Media Contact:
Ramsha Nadeem
rnadeem@iom.int