US Embassy vows to Counter Trafficking in Persons in Pakistan
ISLAMABAD: The U.S. Embassy in Islamabad vowed to “Counter Trafficking in Persons (TIP) in Pakistan.
US Embassy, SSDO and PUAN jointly organized a two-day conference in Islamabad. The main aim of the conference is to strengthen institutional capacity to reduce trafficking in persons and also help victims get needed support.
US Ambassador Donald Blome and Deputy Speaker of Sindh Assembly Shehla Raza exchanging views at the conference in Islamabad.
In his opening remarks at the event, U.S. Ambassador Donald Blome said:
“Human trafficking erodes the rule of law, the safety of our communities, the security of our borders, and the strength of our economy. When we work together to achieve the goals of combating human trafficking, we create a fairer and more equitable world.”
Sindh Assembly Deputy Speaker Shehla Raza attended the conference as Chief Guest. She acknowledged the efforts of the U.S. government in supporting anti-trafficking efforts in Pakistan.
Deputy Chief of the U.S. Mission to Pakistan Andrew Schofer thanked the organizers, Sustainable Social Development Organization (SSDO) and the Pakistan-U.S. Alumni Network (PUAN). He appreciated their work in coordinating the two-conference.
He said: “The exchange of ideas and coordination amongst all players is a critical part of addressing the issue of trafficking in persons.”
Many scholars and anti-human trafficking experts from both the U.S. and Pakistan participated in the conference.
The conference included plenary sessions, special sessions, and five working groups to discuss expected roles of a broad range of stakeholders to counter TIP. Parliamentarians, representatives from law enforcement agencies, judiciary and prosecution, civil society, academia, and media also participated in the conference.
