Study shows Pakistan as a source, transit and destination country for human trafficking

The study was titled ‘Modern slavery: Trafficking in women and girls in Pakistan’.

“Although it is difficult to determine the magnitude of the crime — given a lack of reliable data — the HRCP is particularly concerned by the network of trafficking that exists internally, spanning sex trafficking, forced child labour, bonded labour, forced begging and forced marriage. Economically vulnerable women and under-age girls are targeted in particular," The Dawn quoted the study.

The study explains why it is difficult to address trafficking compared to other human rights violations — from the dearth of reliable data on trafficking and constant under reporting to lack of implementation of existing anti-trafficking legislation, the newspaper reported.

Moreover, the pervasive lack of awareness of the various dimensions of trafficking, and gaps in coordination among stakeholders such as the FIA and law enforcement agencies, are added challenges.