Islamabad: The FIA has started prosecuting those involved in human smuggling, the National Assembly was informed on Wednesday. During question time, Minister of State for Law Shahadat Awan informed the house that 470 people smugglers had been detained in the previous four years. He claimed that others travelling with forged documents had also been subject to action. He said that laws have been passed to punish human traffickers and protect the rights of victims. He claimed that in order to combat the threat of human smuggling, we are also enhancing international collaboration.
The Minister of State for Law said that Eagle Squad has been established in the Federal Capital Territory on the pattern of the Dolphin Force in Punjab to control the crime rate. He said there is considerable reduction in the crime rate in Islamabad after the establishment of Eagle Squad.
Meanwhile, the National Assembly passed Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority Amendment Bill 2023 and Press Council of Pakistan Amendment Bill 2023.
The bills were moved by Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb.
Other bills that were passed on Wednewday included Apostille Bill 2023, The Gas Theft Control and Recovery Amendment Bill 2023 , the Zakat and Ushr Amendment Bill 2023, Quaid-e-Azam Institute of Management Sciences Sargodha Bill 2023, The Akhuwat Institute Kasur Bill 2023, Islamabad University of Health Sciences and Emerging Technologies Bill 2023, The Falcon University of Sciences and Technology Bill, 2023, The Kings Institute of Higher Education Bill 2023 and The North Institute Bill 2023 and Public Institute of Science ,Art and Technology Bill, 2023.
On a point of order raised by MNA Ali Wazir, the Chair said that our armed forces are rendering great sacrifices in the war on terrorism. He said we should recognize these sacrifices. He made it clear that the forum of the Parliament will not be provided for speaking against national interests.
Moreover, Minister of State for Law Shahadat Awan on Wednesday informed the National Assembly that the government sealed 36 brick kilns in the Islamabad capital territory (ICT) on violation of child labour laws besides registering cases against the violators.
Replying to various supplementary questions during Question Hour, the minister said that although labour welfare including labour legislation was now a devolved subject after 18th constitutional amendments but currently various laws enforced to stop child labour.
He said the laws which were enforced in ICT included the Factories Act, 1934, the Shops and establishments Ordinance, 1969, the Employment of Children Act, 1991, Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1992 and Employment of Children Rules, 1995.
Similarly, Punjab Prohibition of Child Labour at Brick Kilns Act 2016, the Punjab Restriction on Employment Children Act, 2016, the Prevention of Trafficking in persons Act, 2018, the Sindh Prohibition of Employment of Children Act, 2017, the Sindh Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 2015, the Sindh Factories Act, 2015, the Sindh Commercial Establishment Act, 2015, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Prohibition of Employment of Children Rules, 2015 and Balochistan Employment of Children (Prohibition Regulation) Act, 2021 were enforced in the provinces, he said.
The minister said inspection teams at provincial level regularly conducted raids and not only registered cases but also imposed fine against the violators of laws.
The House has now been adjourned to meet again tomorrow (on Thursday) at 11 in the morning.
