Prevention Of Trafficking In Persons Bill Smoothly Sails Through National Assembly

Prevention of Trafficking in Persons Bill smoothly sails through National Assembly

The National Assembly on Wednesday passed unanimously the Prevention of Trafficking in Persons Bill aimed at providing effective measures to prevent and combat human trafficking of especially women and children.

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23rd May, 2018 ) :The National Assembly on Wednesday passed unanimously the Prevention of Trafficking in Persons Bill aimed at providing effective measures to prevent and combat human trafficking of especially women and children.

The bill was piloted by State Minister for Maritime Affairs Chaudhary Jaffar Iqbal on behalf of the Interior Minister in the House. The bill aims to provide effective measures to prevent and combat trafficking of women and children especially; to promote and facilitate national and international cooperation in this regard; to protect the trafficking victims and to provide for matters connected therewith or ancillary thereto.

The statement of objects and reasons says that the object of this act is to target the criminals who exploit desperate people and to protect and assist victims of trafficking, many of whom endure unimaginable hardships in their bid for a better life.

While trafficking in persons may involve men and women of any age, the specific reference to 'women and children' highlights the fact that women and children are especially vulnerable to trafficking.

The bill seeks to achieve the aforesaid objective. The bill imposes tough imprisonment terms and fines on individuals found involved in human trafficking. The bill provides for more tough punishments in case the victims are women and children.

"Any person who commits an offence of trafficking in person shall be punished with imprisonment which may extend to seven years or with fine which may extend to one million rupees or with both," the bill said.

The bill further reads, "If the offence of trafficking is committed against a child or a woman, the person who commits the offence shall be punished with imprisonment which may extend to 10 years and which shall not be less than two years or with fine which may extend to one million rupees or with both." The bill says that police will investigate cases of domestic trafficking and the Federal Investigation Agency will probe the case if "transportation of the victim is into or out of Pakistan.