The National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis, chaired by Agha Rafiullah, reviewed alarming reports regarding Pakistani citizens being taken to Cambodia through fraudulent schemes. The committee was briefed that eleven agents involved in illegal human trafficking have been arrested, according to officials from the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis. The chairman expressed grave concern over reports that citizens taken to Cambodia were subjected to violence and torture.
During the meeting, the committee chairman revealed that victims’ organs were being sold and their families were forced to pay large sums of money for their release. He noted that the Government of Pakistan had managed to repatriate dozens of affected citizens from Cambodia through intense efforts. Officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs informed the committee that Pakistan’s diplomatic mission had intervened and successfully brought back around 1,100 stranded Pakistanis.
The chairman questioned whether the Foreign Office and immigration authorities were monitoring the rising number of Pakistanis traveling to Cambodia. He asked if Cambodia had developed so significantly that citizens were inclined to migrate there. Foreign Office officials responded that Cambodia’s conditions have improved over the past years, and its economic situation is comparatively better, which could explain the trend.
The committee further discussed why groups of Pakistanis were traveling to Cambodia under the guise of tourism. The chairman asked whether Cambodia had any attractions that justified increased travel from Pakistan. Foreign Office officials clarified that Cambodia offers beaches and several scenic locations but stressed that the individuals involved had traveled through agents and fell victim to fraud. They also revealed that around 2,000 Pakistanis are currently residing illegally in Cambodia.
Officials from the FIA informed the committee that more than 1,100 people have been offloaded while attempting to travel illegally to Cambodia, and cases have been registered against the involved agents. MNA Mehreen Razzaq Bhutto pointed out that many Pakistanis use Thailand as a transit route to enter Cambodia. The committee demanded detailed data on individuals who traveled illegally and directed the FIA and other departments to strengthen monitoring to prevent further trafficking incidents.
