The United States has noted Pakistan’s progress in elimination of human trafficking, and has upgraded Pakistan from the Tier 2 watch list to Tier 2 in its Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report.
The report was launched by US State Secretary Antony Blinken.
According to the report, the government of Pakistan does not fully meet the minimum standards of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act, but is making “significant efforts” to comply with the standards. Pakistan has thus been taken off the ‘watch list’.
Tier 2 includes the countries that are making significant efforts but they do not fully comply with all requirements for discouraging human trafficking. The Tier 2 watch list, on the other hand, includes the countries that could be put in Tier 3 and have penalties imposed in the form of sanctions.
During 2015-2017, Pakistan remained on the watch list. In 2018, it was upgraded to Tier 2 but was downgraded to Tier 2 watch list in 2020 where it has remained until its removal now.
The report has applauded Pakistan for raising the number of investigations, prosecutions and convictions, including those under the 2018 Prevention of Trafficking in Persons Act (PTPA).
During 2021 more victims for protection services were referred by the government, provincial departments increased implementations of SOPs, and more stakeholders were trained.
