Regional Cooperation Workshop on Smuggling of Migrants and Sharing Best Practices Concluded in Islamabad
Islamabad, 27 April 2024: A two-day Regional Cooperation Workshop on the subject of combating Smuggling of Migrants (SOM) and trafficking in person (TIP) held on 26-27 April 2024 at the Marriot Hotel Islamabad, concluded today.
The workshop was jointly organized by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) in collaboration with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) which aimed to address the urgent need for increased collaboration among nations to effectively combat the smuggling of migrants, especially in the wake of tragic incidents like the Greece Boat incident.
The workshop brought together representatives from Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt, Libya, UAE, Iraq, Oman, Greece, Italy, Iran, and other relevant EU countries.
Nominated delegates from key participating countries shared their insights and expertise, focusing on emerging national trends in Trafficking in Persons (TIP) and smuggling of migrants (SOM), national best practices in investigation and prosecution of SOM, as well as challenges faced in international and regional cooperation on combating SOM.
Director FIA Lahore Zone, Sarfraz Khan Virk, shared insights on cross-border investigation and cooperation on migrant smuggling, highlighted selected case studies of Iraq and Pakistan. Director Immigration FIA, Abdul Qadir Qamar, led a discussion and Q&A session on improving border control mechanisms to detect irregular migration attempts.
Additional Director General (ADG) Immigration FIA, Ashraf Zubair Siddiqui, delivered the closing remarks. He expressed his sincere gratitude to all participants, as well as to the European Union (EU), the UNODC, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for their collaborative efforts in organizing the event.
He reiterated Pakistan’s steadfast commitment to prevent and combat human smuggling and trafficking, especially in the context of transnational activities. He emphasized the comprehensive approach being undertaken by federal and provincial authorities alongside social services agencies to address this multifaceted issue.
Furthermore, he highlighted Pakistan’s enactment of global legal frameworks aimed at combating human trafficking and smuggling, providing a robust foundation for law enforcement efforts.
The workshop concluded with the presentation of souvenirs to delegates from participating countries, symbolizing the commitment to continued collaboration and cooperation in the fight against smuggling of migrants.
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UNODC side added:
Migrant smuggling is a crime with high profits and a low risk of punishment for the criminals involved. Smugglers sell illegal and dangerous services to desperate people and are often part of a well-organized, multinational network. International cooperation is vital to combat this crime.
“This regional cooperation workshop constitutes a veritable part of our desire to benefit from the perspectives, expertise, as well as cooperation of our regional and international partners. The international community needs a “comprehensive approach” that helps safe, orderly and regular migration on the one hand, while addressing the negative impacts of irregular migration on the other” said Mr. Syrus Sajjad Qazi, the Foreign Secretary.
“Recent incidents, including the tragic event where 350 Pakistanis were on board a packed trawler that capsized off southern Greece on 14 June 2023, are a stark reminder of the urgent need for increased collaboration among nations to effectively address this complex crime,” said Jeremy Milsom, UNODC Representative in Pakistan.
The conference, held as part of the PROTECT: Improving Migration Management and Migrant Protection in Selected Silk Route Countries project, funded by the European Union, and implemented in the framework of the Global Action against Trafficking in Persons and the Smuggling of Migrants (GLO.ACT), will explore mechanisms to improve information-sharing between countries and emphasize victim-centered approaches to combat migrant smuggling.
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