Islamabad, April 6 (NationPress) The recent arrest of a former Elite Force officer, believed to be connected to the 2023 Greek boat tragedy, highlights the lackadaisical stance of the Pakistani government regarding human trafficking, according to a recent report.

“The issue of human trafficking is a significant stain on Pakistan’s moral fabric. Despite global efforts to combat this crisis, legislative actions in our country have been inadequate. Annually, thousands of Pakistanis fall victim to trafficking, yet the rate of convictions remains stagnant. Recently, the FIA apprehended seven individuals linked to fake visas, visa fraud, and human trafficking in Lahore, Sialkot, Multan, and Bahawalpur,” an editorial from Pakistan's prominent daily, Dawn, stated.

“In addition, the agency has captured a notorious human trafficker. His prior role as an Elite Force officer involved in the 2023 Greek boat disaster serves as a stark criticism of the government’s handling of crime,” it continued.

The web of human traffickers expands during periods of conflict and increased poverty. In 2025, over 2,700 fatalities were documented globally. According to the International Organisation for Migration’s Missing Migrants Project, at least 2,722 individuals from the Asia-Pacific area perished or went missing while attempting illegal international migration.

Among them, 109 Pakistani nationals were included in the grim tally of 2,722 who lost their lives or disappeared globally in 2025 while trying to cross borders illegally, as per the latest IOM statistics.

“Evidently, there remains a long journey ahead to ensure the protection of trafficking victims’ rights and discourage citizens from seeking to leave the country. While law enforcement agencies have been granted various legal tools, social issues persist due to legal ambiguities, powerful patronage, corruption, and a culture of impunity,” the editorial in Dawn emphasized.

The 2018 Prevention of Trafficking in Persons Act, even with amendments, imposes fines rather than mandatory imprisonment, and the Prevention of Smuggling of Migrants Act has proven ineffective due to poor enforcement.

Recently, the FIA confirmed the arrest of a top human trafficker listed in their red book, who was allegedly involved in the June 2023 Greece boat accident. This individual previously served in Pakistan's Elite Force.

In January, this trafficker resisted arrest and attacked an FIA team during a raid in Majra Shumali village, leading to charges of attempted murder and other offenses, according to reports from Dawn.

A senior FIA official disclosed that the most-wanted trafficker, Waqas Ali, also known as Waqas Butt, was apprehended by FIA Composite Circle, Gujrat. He appears in the 2025 red book and is a proclaimed offender facing multiple FIA cases.

According to the official, he was directly associated with the Libya shipwreck incident in 2023, having extorted approximately 3 million Pakistani Rupees from each affected family under the pretense of illegally transporting them to Greece via sea routes from Libya. The accused was dismissed from service in 2023 as an Elite Force constable.