ISLAMABAD, Sept 10: The United States will help Pakistan in taking steps to protect victims of human trafficking and will further support civil society organisations providing shelter to such people and working for their long-term rehabilitation.

This was stated by Dr Mark P. Lagon, Director of the US State Department’s Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons (TIP), here on Wednesday.

During activities organised by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), Dr Lagon was briefed on counter-trafficking efforts in the country.

Dr Lagon office works in coordination with the US government to fight what has been termed modern-day slavery, including forced labour and sexual exploitation, which affects hundreds of thousands of women, children and men every year.

According to a study sponsored by the US government in 2006, about 800,000 people are trafficked across the globe, and the figure does not include millions more trafficked within various countries.

Dr Lagon also attended a roundtable on collaboration in efforts on combating human trafficking, organised by the IOM and the Ministry of Interior.

Senior officials of relevant ministries and departments, representatives of UN agencies, international organisations and local NGOs, reviewed issues like internal and cross-border human trafficking, and the way forward in regional and international cooperation to effectively combat the menace.

Speaking on the occasion, Adviser to the PM of Interior Affairs Rehman Malik said the problem of trafficking was linked with economic disparity in the country. He said people dreaming of a better life and looking for greener pastures were often deceived by agents. He suggested creation a focal point with which all countries in the region could share names of agents and syndicates involved in human trafficking.

IOM’s regional Representative for West and Central Asia Hassan Abdel Moneim Mostafa said the fight against human trafficking was far from over. The Pakistani government, he said, had already done a great deal of work and the IOM had supported their efforts through different projects. But, in order to eradicate the menace, collective efforts would have to be made for protection and reintegration of the victims, prosecution of the criminals and promotion of public awareness.