Zero-tolerance for human trafficking: Malik

KARACHI (Agencies) Interior Minister Rehman Malik Saturday directed the DG Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and all the zonal directors to adopt zero-tolerance on human trafficking to save the prestige of the country. He expressed these views while chairing a meeting to discuss the issues of human trafficking and hawala business. The DG FIA and other high-ranking officials attended the meeting. The minister took serious notice of 'booming illegal business of human trafficking and asked the top brass of the elite civilian agency to stop the heinous crime. The meeting was informed that an intelligence unit had been established within the FIA to report any internal involvement of the agencys official, and in case any of them was found guilty, he would be charged under the relevant sections of law like the accused human traffickers. It was also decided to seek other intelligence agencies help to weed out the black sheep from the organisation. Rehman expressed his anger over hawala business and the reports that some of the influential people are making huge profits through the illegal trade. The meeting decided to take strict action against the State Bank of Pakistan officials who had facilitated the hawala dealers. Rehman appreciated the efforts of FIA for curbing of the hawala business, which had resulted in increasing the foreign exchange remittances in the country to the highest ever level. It is worth recalling that he has given target of 20 billion dollars of foreign remittances to the FIA.

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