ISLAMABAD-Parliamentary Secretary for Interior Shaukat Ali on Thursday informed the National Assembly that legislation was on the cards to curb human trafficking.
Responding to questions during the “Question Hour”, he said that a private bill “The Trafficking of Persons (Prevention and Rehabilitation) Bill 2019 approved by the National Assembly Committee on Interior was with the Ministry of Law and Justice .
The bill specially focused on taking effective steps to prevent trafficking of women and children, along with the aim to protect trafficking victims by providing them additional help. The aim of this act was to target criminals exploiting the underprivileged, who endured unwanted hardships in the pursuit of a better life, and also to provide further assistance to trafficking victims.
The parliamentary secretary said that soon after receiving the bill from the ministry of law and justice it will be tabled in the house for approval. “The passage of the bill will make human trafficking very difficult, ” he informed the house.
Responding to another question he said, executive passport offices had been established in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Gujrat, Gujranwala, Sialkot, Multan, Sargodha, Lahore, Faisalabad, Sahiwal, Karachi, Quetta and Peshawar.
He further said that the government had established Regional Passport Offices in almost all districts of Pakistan except newly established districts.
At present,he said, there were six districts where no passport office was established to date. These districts were Korangi, Lower Kohistan. District Khyber , Sikandarabad, Duki, and Kharmong (Gilgit Baltistan). However he said, budget had been allocated to set up passport offices in these districts.