The 8th meeting of the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on Human Smuggling was held in Islamabad, chaired by Director General of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), Jan Muhammad. Key stakeholders from various federal and provincial law enforcement agencies attended, including officials from AJK and GB Police, Coast Guard, Frontier Corps, Rangers, Maritime Security Agency, NADRA, Passport Office, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. Senior FIA officers, including Additional Director Generals (ADGs) and Directors, also participated in the meeting.
The session commenced with a word of thanks from Additional Director General Immigration, Abbas Ahsan, who expressed appreciation for the support provided by the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) in organizing the event and assisting with initiatives to combat human smuggling and trafficking.
FIA’s Director Anti-Human Smuggling, Saqib Sultan, provided a comprehensive overview of the IATF’s objectives and the ongoing crackdown on human smugglers. Director Immigration Wing, Haroon Joya, shared valuable insights into human trafficking routes, transit countries, and other critical aspects of the issue.
Abbas Ahsan, Additional Director General Immigration Wing, discussed the formation, goals, and importance of the special task force, established under the directives of the Prime Minister of Pakistan. Meanwhile, Muhammad Jaffar, Additional Director General (Law), underscored the necessity of digitizing data on human traffickers to enhance information sharing between agencies.
Zobia Masood, Director General of the Press Information Department (PID), briefed the participants on the media campaign launched in line with the Prime Minister’s directives to raise awareness about human smuggling and trafficking.
Director General FIA, Jan Muhammad, addressed the meeting, stressing the urgent need for coordinated efforts to dismantle human smuggling networks. Acknowledging the transnational nature of trafficking, he highlighted the importance of international collaboration and intelligence exchange. He also revealed that FIA’s efforts last year led to the offloading of over 27,000 suspected passengers, and the agency, with Interpol’s support, is actively working to dismantle international smuggling syndicates.
The meeting concluded with a renewed commitment from all participants to improve cooperation, share information on human traffickers, and enhance the capabilities of officials involved in anti-trafficking initiatives. They agreed to introduce a modernized system to monitor illegal border movements and emphasized the continued need for public awareness campaigns on safe and legal migration routes.
