‘Effective measures helped check human trafficking’

Islamabad : Minister for Interior Brigadier (r) Ijaz Ahmed Shah has said that Pakistan has taken effective measures for controlling illegal human trafficking by establishing numerous new check posts by FC and Coast Guards and conducting Intelligence Based Operations against those involved in the heinous crime, resulting in continuous decline in the number of cases.

This was stated by the Federal Minister for Interior during a meeting with Minister for Security of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Selmo Cikotic here Thursday.

The minister said that Pakistan is cognizant of the menace of illegal immigrants who also bring a bad name to the country. He said that not only the Government is taking effective steps to control illegal human trafficking but also creating economic opportunities in the country to eliminate the root cause of the problem. He said that most of the cases of illegal immigration emerge out of a search for better economic opportunities.

The interior minister emphasized that illegal immigrants in most cases may be treated humanely since their sole objective remains better economic opportunities. He mentioned the Prime Minister of Pakistan special initiative to boost the housing and construction sector in the country which is getting momentum and creating job opportunities. The availability of better economic opportunity will result in the return of the illegal immigrants willingly, he added.

Selmo Cikotic while expressing his gratitude to the warm welcome accorded to him by Pakistan said that the signing of the agreement between the two countries on illegal immigration will further boost the existing brotherly relations between the two countries.

The Minister for Security of Bosnia and Herzegovina said that Pakistan and Bosnia are bought together by circumstance and Islamic bond. The Bosnian people and Government rank Pakistan at the highest place due to the principled stance it had always taken on a number of issues relating to Bosnia. He said that the Bosnian Government is looking forward to learning from the experience of Pakistan in Intelligence, Policing and Border Management since Pakistan has successfully emerged out of challenges on internal and external fronts.

Interior Minister Brigadier (r) Ijaz Ahmed Shah assured his Bosnian counterpart of all kind of cooperation in this regard. He also appreciated the Bosnian Government for Visa-Free Entry to Pakistani Diplomatic and Services Passports.

The Bosnian Minister for Security also invited Interior Minister Brigadier (r) Ijaz Ahmed Shah for an official visit to Sarajevo, which will be worked out by both sides after normalization of the current situation due to the second wave of COVID-19.