Human trafficking.

Byline: BASIT HUSSAIN-Karachi-Box letter

I am writing to draw attention to the grave issue of human trafficking in Pakistan. Despite being illegal, human trafficking remains a thriving business in the country with thousands of people falling prey to this heinous crime every year.

Human trafficking not only violates the basic human rights of the victims but also causes irreversible damage to their physical and mental health. Most of the victims are women and children who are lured into false promises of jobs or marriages and then forced into prostitution, forced labour or other forms of exploitation.

The situation in Pakistan is particularly alarming, as it is both a source and destination country for human trafficking. Young girls from poor families are often sold to traffickers and taken to other countries, where they are subjected to forced labour. Similarly, many people from neighbouring countries such as Afghanistan and Bangladesh are also trafficked to Pakistan for the same purpose.

The government needs to...