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ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Wednesday human smuggling incidents involving Pakistani migrants had declined following a series of deadly boat tragedies, crediting law enforcement actions for curbing the crime, which he described as an organized global enterprise of exploitation.

Sharif’s remarks came in a statement marking the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, observed this year under the theme “Human Trafficking: A Coordinated Crime – End Exploitation.”

The message follows a series of maritime tragedies over the past two years in which scores of Pakistanis have drowned while attempting to reach Europe through irregular sea routes.

These included a shipwreck off Greece in mid-2023, a December 2024 incident near the Greek coast, a January 2025 disaster off Morocco and two separate capsizings off the Libyan coast in early and mid-2025.

“To prevent such incidents and bring traffickers to justice, the federal government formed a special task force for timely intervention,” Sharif said in the statement circulated by the Prime Minister’s Office to mark the day.

“It is encouraging that the task force has worked with diligence and strategy to address the root causes, motives and consequences of this grave crime,” he added. “The FIA and Intelligence Bureau have significantly reduced the activities of human smuggling networks, and complicit officials have also been held accountable.”

The prime minister described human smuggling as a “transnational crime” that targets vulnerable people in search of livelihoods.

“Criminal networks around the world exploit citizens seeking employment opportunities through human smuggling,” he said.

“In recent years, the tragic deaths of Pakistani migrants who drowned while trying to travel abroad illegally have further exposed the horrific and dangerous face of human smuggling.”

Sharif noted the government was not only targeting smugglers but also educating the public about safe, legal avenues for overseas employment.

He emphasized while the state is working to create job opportunities at home and abroad, risking one’s life through illegal routes was both dangerous and a violation of national and international law.

Pakistan actively participates in global platforms to counter trafficking, including the Budapest Process, Bali Process and the STARSOM Project, which focus on regional cooperation across Asia, Africa and the Americas.

“Today is an opportunity to renew our collective resolve,” the prime minister said, “to ensure that federal and provincial governments, law enforcement agencies, the foreign ministry and intelligence institutions continue to play their part in eradicating this heinous crime.”

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will dispatch two cargo planes full of aid and humanitarian relief to Jordan and Egypt and ensure their delivery to the people of Palestine, an official statement said on Tuesday, as the United Nations and international aid groups warn of growing starvation in the Gaza Strip.

The aid comes as Israel’s months-long blockade has crippled the flow of humanitarian supplies into Gaza, where the closure of UN-run distribution centers and restrictions on aid convoys have created severe access challenges.

Under Israel’s new distribution system, many Palestinians are forced to travel long distances, often under humiliating and dangerous conditions, to collect food, with some reportedly coming under fire while waiting in queues.

The collapse of organized aid delivery has deepened fears of famine and widespread malnutrition, particularly among children.

“Under the directive of the Prime Minister, the Government of Pakistan has approved the urgent dispatch of critical humanitarian assistance to support the people of Palestine in distress,” the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said in a statement, adding that “the NDMA has been tasked to arrange two chartered cargo aircraft, each with a capacity of 100 tons, to deliver essential aid.”

The NDMA said the special flights, carrying urgently needed rations and sustenance items, will be prepared within the next two days.

It added the aircraft will be routed through Jordan and Egypt to ensure swift delivery to affected areas.

Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and the NDMA team will see off the flights from Islamabad, while Pakistan’s ambassadors in Jordan and Egypt will coordinate receipt and onward delivery to the Palestinian areas.

The NDMA also reaffirmed Pakistan’s “unwavering commitment” to supporting the Palestinian people during this challenging time.

The UN World Food Programme has warned that nearly 100,000 women and children in Gaza are suffering from malnutrition, with about a third of the enclave’s population reportedly “not eating for days.”

Doctors Without Borders has accused Israel of using “starvation as a weapon” in its military campaign.

Gaza’s health ministry estimates that more than 60,000 people, mostly women and children, have been killed since the war began in October 2023.