ISLAMABAD – In response to a growing crisis, Pakistan’s Interior Ministry has established a task force to tackle the alarming rise in human trafficking and kidnapping for ransom along the border with Iran.
According to a report by the Pakistani ambassador in Tehran, there were 60 reported abductions last year and 12 already in the first two months of this year. The victims are often lured to Iran under false pretenses and then kidnapped and tortured, with their captors demanding hefty ransoms from their families.
In a recent incident, three men from Punjab were brought to Iran under false pretenses and later kidnapped and tortured. Their captors demanded a $15,000 ransom, and when their families failed to pay the full amount, the victims were further brutalized. The Pakistani embassy in Tehran intervened, working with Interpol and Iranian authorities to secure the release of the three men.
The establishment of the task force is a welcome move to protect Pakistani citizens and maintain positive bilateral relations with Iran. The task force will work to prevent such incidents, rescue victims, and bring perpetrators to justice.
