Daily Times

Sir: The third largest and fastest growing criminal industry in the world, human trafficking, is one of the greatest human rights challenges of our times. It is modern-day slavery. Millions of people around the world still suffer in silence in slave-like situations of forced labour and commercial sexual exploitation, from which they cannot free themselves. There have been reports of minor girls from Pakistan being smuggled into the Middle East and then forced into prostitution. All this is no secret, but sadly the concerned authorities remain unconcerned. There have been many media reports of exploitation by visa officers and agents. It is a shame that all this is happening despite the presence of the Anti-Trafficking Unit (ATU) whose sole job it is to check illegal immigration. I request the authorities to look into this matter seriously and stop this gross violation of human rights.

AMARA SULTAN
Rawalpindi