KARACHI: Pakistan’s Senate on Friday approved amendments to three key laws aimed at combating human trafficking and illegal migration, following a series of deadly migrant boat tragedies that have claimed hundreds of lives.
The legislation— covering human trafficking, migrant smuggling and emigration— seeks to strengthen penalties for offenders, including those involved in smuggling young girls and trafficking beggars to Gulf states.
Pakistan has intensified its crackdown on human smugglers after multiple boat tragedies. In January, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) issued Interpol red notices for 20 suspected foreign-based traffickers, though migrant deaths continue as people attempt to cross treacherous waters on rickety boats to reach European shores.
The three bills, unanimously passed after clearance by the relevant Senate standing committees, aim to further strengthen the legal framework to tackle the crisis. The Prevention of Trafficking in Persons (Amendment) Bill expands the definition of trafficking to include organized begging, following concerns raised by Pakistan’s diplomatic missions in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states, Iraq and Malaysia.
“The agents and gangs who are involved in this practice easily dodge prosecution as beggary is not a crime in any law entrusted to FIA,” reads the statement of objects and reasons of the bill, which has amended multiple sections of a 2018 law to prevent human trafficking. “The sensitivity of issue demands urgent need of making beggary a crime.”
In the past, several Pakistanis reportedly traveled abroad for Hajj, Umrah or personal visits but engaged in begging, tarnishing the country’s image.
The bill also increases penalties for traffickers, raising prison sentences from a minimum of three years to up to 14 years for offenses involving women and children. Fines for trafficking crimes now range from Rs1 million ($3,581) to Rs2 million ($7,162).
Similarly, the Prevention of Smuggling of Migrants (Amendment) Bill stiffens penalties for offenders, increasing the maximum prison term from five years to 10 years and raising fines from Rs1 million to Rs10 million ($35,810).
It also targets individuals who harbor undocumented foreigners in Pakistan, increasing their prison term from three years to five years and doubling fines to Rs2 million.
The third approved bill revises the 1979 Emigration Ordinance to eliminate leniency for human smugglers. Courts will no longer have the discretion to impose only fines on those found guilty, making jail sentences mandatory for offenders.
“To curb the menace of unlawful emigration and create deterrence among perpetrators and prevent repetition of offenses, it is inevitable to amend the Court’s discretion, which currently has the option to award either imprisonment or a fine,” the bill said.
The three bills come at a time when two migrant boat tragedies involving dozens of Pakistanis — one near Morocco and the other off the coast of Libya — have been reported since the beginning of the year. Prior to these incidents, an overcrowded vessel carrying over 250 Pakistanis capsized in June 2023 near Greece.
There has also been a rise in deportations of Pakistanis from Gulf nations. In November 2024, authorities added 4,300 individuals involved in organized begging to the Exit Control List (ECL).
According to official statements, hundreds of Pakistanis have been deported in recent months due to visa irregularities, insufficient travel funds, procedural lapses and involvement in crimes or begging.
Pakistan Senate passes tougher laws to curb human smuggling, illegal migration
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Pakistan Senate passes tougher laws to curb human smuggling, illegal migration
- Hundreds of Pakistanis have lost lives in boat capsizing incidents since 2023, while trying to reach Europe
- Despite intense crackdown leading to arrests, such tragedies continue, necessitating more stringent laws
Peshawar Zalmi smash PSL record with 120-run win over Multan Sultans
- Pacer Ali Raza returns figures of 4/21 while Tom Kohler-Cadmore scores blistering half-century
- Player of the Match Abdul Samad smashes 40 runs from 14 balls, hitting three sixes and four fours
ISLAMABAS: Peshawar Zalmi got off the mark in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2025 tournament on Saturday by defeating former champions Multan Sultans by 120 runs at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, registering the highest margin of victory in the PSL’s history.
After Zalmi openers Saim Ayub and Babar Azam fell for low scores earlier on, Tom Kohler-Cadmore (52 runs from 30 balls) Mohammad Haris (45 runs from 21 balls) and Abdul Samad (40 runs from 14 balls) helped the “Yellow Storm” finish at an impressive score of 227-7 off their 20 overs.
In response, the Sultans were no match for Zalmi’s potent bowling. Skipper Mohammad Rizwan’s side was bowled out for 107 runs in 15.5 overs courtesy of a stellar bowling performance by new pace sensation Ali Raza, who returned figures of 4/21 from his four overs, and spinner Ariq Yaqoob, who finished with 3/20.
“A blazing batting performance that saw Zalmi muster 227-7 in 20 overs was followed by young pace sensation Ali Raza’s masterclass as they registered the highest margin of victory in HBL PSL history,” the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said on its website.
Speaking at the post-match press conference, Player of the Match Samad said Zalmi expected him to perform well as he had been playing domestic cricket for some time.
“Stuck to my natural game,” he said, “We had to score 200-plus runs. There was grip, and the pitch was on the slow side but glad the execution went well.”
After registering their first win in three matches, Zalmi have moved up to number five on the PSL points table while the Sultans remain at the bottom with three losses from as many matches.
Islamabad United remain at the top of the table with three wins from three matches, while Lahore Qalandars secure the number two spot with two wins out of three matches.
PM Sharif urges global investors to tap into Pakistan’s minerals sector
- Pakistan organizes three-day Health, Engineering and Minerals Show in Lahore with foreign delegates in attendance
- Exhibition featured a range of high-tech stalls showcasing agricultural machinery, precious stones and pharmaceuticals
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif this week invited global investors and friendly countries to tap into the country’s mining sector and take advantage of its economic opportunities, state-run media reported.
Pakistan is home to one of the world’s largest porphyry copper-gold mineral zones, while the Reko Diq mine in southwestern Balochistan province has an estimated 5.9 billion tons of ore. Barrick Gold, which owns a 50 percent stake in the Reko Diq mines, considers them one of the world’s largest underdeveloped copper-gold areas, and their development is expected to have a significant impact on Pakistan’s struggling economy.
In recent months, Pakistan has aggressively tried to tap into its huge reserves of natural resources to extract maximum economic advantage from them. Islamabad hosted a two-day minerals summit this month in which hundreds of delegates from around the world visited Pakistan to explore opportunities in its mining and minerals sector.
“Pakistan is rich in talent, especially in IT and AI sectors,” Sharif said on Saturday while speaking at the three-day Health Engineering and Minerals Show [HEMS] in Lahore.
“We are extending investment opportunities to friendly nations and inviting them to initiate joint ventures, particularly in the mining and minerals sector,” he added.
The Pakistani prime minister stressed that over 60 percent of Pakistan’s population comprises the youth, describing them as intelligent and capable.
He called for equipping them with modern skills and professional training.
“Our young generation is our asset, and with the right direction and innovation, they can drive Pakistan’s economic success,” he added.
Sharif credited his government for increasing Pakistan’s exports, saying that its consistent policies had caused the country to boost production and rely less on imports.
The exhibition featured a range of high-tech stalls showcasing agricultural machinery, precious stones, pharmaceuticals and surgical instruments, the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) said.
Dignitaries and delegates from China, Africa, the Middle East, Europe, the United States, Turkiye and other countries participated, with a total of 860 foreign delegates in attendance.
On this occasion, several bilateral agreements and memoranda of understanding were signed, the APP said.
UAE deputy PM to arrive in Pakistan today to strengthen bilateral cooperation
- Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan’s visit reflects fraternal relations between both countries, says state media
- In recent months, Pakistan and United Arab Emirates have signed several agreements to boost economic ties
ISLAMABAD: UAE’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan is scheduled to arrive in Pakistan today, Sunday, on a two-day visit aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation in various sectors, state-run media reported.
Pakistan and the UAE have deepened their economic partnership in recent years. The UAE is Pakistan’s third-largest trading partner after China and the United States, and a major source of foreign investment, with over $10 billion invested in the last two decades.
“Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, will undertake a two-day official visit to Pakistan from Sunday,” state broadcaster Radio Pakistan reported.
It said the high-level visit reflects the deep-rooted, fraternal relations that Pakistan and the UAE enjoy.
“It also underscores the two countries’ shared commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation across all areas of mutual interest,” the state broadcaster added.
The UAE is home to over a million Pakistani expatriates — the second-largest overseas Pakistani community globally — and a major source of remittance inflows to Pakistan.
Policymakers in Islamabad view the UAE as an ideal export destination due to its geographic proximity, which lowers freight costs and facilitates smoother trade.
In recent months, the two countries have signed a series of agreements to boost economic ties.
In February, during the Abu Dhabi crown prince’s visit to Pakistan, the two sides signed accords in mining, railways, banking and infrastructure.
Last year in January, Pakistan and the UAE signed deals worth more than $3 billion covering railways, economic zones and infrastructure development.
The UAE has become an even more crucial partner for Pakistan amid Islamabad’s efforts to achieve sustainable economic growth after suffering from a prolonged macroeconomic crisis.
Pakistani Christian man to appeal death sentence for blasphemy
- Christian man was convicted of blasphemy over allegations he had desecrated Qur’an in 2023
- Allegations fueled attacks in Jaranwala town in which hundreds of houses, churches were burnt
LAHORE: A Christian man accused of blasphemy in the eastern Pakistani town of Jaranwala will appeal against a death sentence handed down by an anti-terrorism court, his lawyer said on Saturday.
The 36-year-old man was convicted of blasphemy over allegations he had desecrated the Muslim holy book, the Qur’an, claims that fueled attacks on a Christian neighborhood in 2023 in which hundreds of houses and churches were torched and thousands of people forced to flee their homes.
“We will file an appeal in the High Court against it,” his lawyer Akmal Bhatti told Reuters, referring to the verdict delivered on Friday night.
Blasphemy is punishable by death in Pakistan. No one has been executed by the state for it, but numerous accused have been lynched by outraged mobs.
In the southern city of Karachi on Friday, a mob of 100-200 people beat a 47-year-old Ahmadi owner of a car workshop to death with bricks and sticks. Ahmadis are a minority group that have faced attacks in Pakistan, considered heretical and accused of blasphemy by some orthodox Muslims.
Pakistan’s central bank launches ‘Go Cashless’ drive at Karachi mall to promote digital economy
- Campaign launched with 12 financial institutions aims to highlight benefits of digital payments
- SBP’s drive aligns with Pakistan’s efforts to strengthen its financial systems, boost transparency
KARACHI: The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) on Saturday launched its “Go Cashless” campaign in the southern Karachi port city, aiming to promote digital payment solutions and accelerate the country’s transition toward a cashless economy.
The initiative, inaugurated by SBP Deputy Governor Saleem Ullah at a local mall in the Clifton neighborhood, is part of broader efforts to enhance financial inclusion and document the economy through increased adoption of digital transactions.
“This ‘Go Cashless’ campaign is not just an event,” he was quoted in a statement released by the central bank. “It is part of a broader vision to accelerate Pakistan’s transition toward a digital economy.
The campaign, organized in collaboration with 12 leading financial institutions, seeks to educate vendors and customers about the benefits of digital payments.
It is also designed to highlight the SBP’s preference for a cash-lite economy where digital payments become the preferred choice for all, from small vendors to large retailers.
Pakistan has witnessed significant growth in digital transactions in recent years. The SBP statement informed its instant payment system, Raast, processed over 892 million transactions amounting to Rs20 trillion ($72 billion) since its launch in 2021. In the second quarter of fiscal year 2025 alone, Raast handled 795.7 million transactions worth Rs6.4 trillion ($23.04 billion).
The central bank highlighted mobile and Internet banking have also witnessed substantial growth, with a 62 percent increase in the number of transactions.
Digital transactions grew by 35 percent in FY24, with volume increasing from 4.7 billion to 6.4 billion, and their value reaching Rs547 trillion ($1.97 trillion).
The SBP’s efforts align with Pakistan’s broader economic reforms aimed at strengthening financial systems and increasing transparency.
By promoting digital payments, the central bank can also document the economy more effectively and bring more individuals and businesses into the formal financial sector.
