The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) of Pakistan inaugurated the National Trafficking in Person (TIP) Hotline on December 14 to combat human trafficking.
Established at the FIA headquarters in Islamabad, this hotline allows individuals to register complaints against human trafficking by calling 111-247-786. The hotline has been set up in collaboration with the Australian High Commission through the International Labour Organisation (ILO).
The complaints received will be promptly forwarded to concerned police stations across Pakistan, with victims being directed to the relevant welfare departments, the agency said.
“The project of ‘National TIP Hotline for National Referral Mechanism’ represents a pivotal moment in our fight against the Trafficking in Person crime,” FIA Director General Mohsin Hassan Butt said.
Acknowledging the government’s periodic reporting on international obligations, Butt described the newly introduced system as an “evolution.” Butt emphasized that it signifies a more coordinated, efficient, and harmonized approach to reporting nationwide, serving as a catalyst for comprehensive efforts against human trafficking.
The DG FIA also thanked United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) for their support, and highlighted their joint efforts in formulating the National Action Plan to combat Trafficking in Person and Smuggling of Migrants.
“Together, we have formulated the National Action Plan to combat Trafficking in Person and Smuggling of Migrants, setting a comprehensive agenda for our collective efforts,” he said.
FIA Additional Director Shireen Malik Sher, the focal person of the hotline project, collaborated with FIA Anti-Human Smuggling Directorate Director Israr Ahmed Khan to complete the project efficiently.
The launch ceremony witnessed the presence of officials from UNODC, the Australian High Commission, the ILO director, a US political advisor, and senior FIA officers, underscoring the collective commitment to eradicating human trafficking through this vital initiative.
National human trafficking hotline launched after Greece tragedy
FIA launched the hotline after the Greece shipwreck tragedy that claimed the lives of hundreds of Pakistanis earlier in June. The tragedy in Greece spurred a comprehensive agenda outlined in the National Action Plan, reinforcing collective efforts to address the serious issue of human trafficking. FIA took swift action by arresting the six alleged human smugglers in July.
Around 400-750 illegal migrants were packed onto a fishing vessel that capsized near the southern coastal Greek town of Pylos on June 14. Among the victims were individuals from various nationalities, including Pakistanis, Egyptians, and Syrians. FIA data disclosed that at least 209 Pakistanis lost their lives, prompting the then Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to order a large-scale crackdown against human smugglers. Over a dozen individuals have been arrested in connection with the tragedy, FIA had said at that time.
The FIA’s Anti-Human Trafficking Circle in Gujrat played a pivotal role in apprehending the suspects, by conducting operations in Kharian, Malakwal, Jehlum, Lahore, and Gujrat.
The agency had revealed that these people smugglers deceived victims with false promises of a better life in Europe, extracting Rs2.5 to 2.7 million ($9,100-9,835) from each person for passage on fishing vessels.