AMBASSADOR DISCUSSES PAKISTAN'S TRAFFICKING

UNCLAS ISLAMABAD 011365

SIPDIS

SIPDIS
SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KCRM PHUM KWMEN SMIG KFRD ASEC PREF ELAB PK
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR DISCUSSES PAKISTAN'S TRAFFICKING
EFFORTS WITH MINISTER SHERPAO



1. (U) On June 12, Ambassador met with Interior Minister
Sherpao to cover a broad range of issues (other reported
septels),including trafficking in persons. Minister Sherpao
said he had read the 2006 TIP report and found the section on
Pakistan to be encouraging. He also thanked Ambassador for
his support of Pakistan's anti-trafficking efforts.


2. (SBU) Minister Sherpao agreed with the report's conclusion
that internal trafficking occurs in Pakistan. He said that
the problem is getting provincial authorities, who currently
have jurisdiction over internal trafficking, to act. He
added that he is working to get the provincial authorities to
be more aggressive in fighting internal trafficking.
Minister Sherpao also said that while currently the Federal
Investigation Agency (FIA) does not investigate internal
trafficking cases, the Ministry will change the FIA's
jurisdiction to include internal trafficking.


3. (SBU) Minister Sherpao also detailed two Government of
Pakistan (GOP) initiatives that relate to its
anti-trafficking efforts. The first is a recently created
Public Safety Commission at the federal level. This
Commission is intended to foster communication and create a
working relationship between federal law enforcement
officials and civil society. The second initiative is the
recently-created gender crimes unit at the FIA, which is
intended to investigate crimes against women, including
trafficking.


4. (SBU) Comment. Although Minister Sherpao and Ambassador
discussed a broad range of issues in their meeting, Minister
Sherpao originally calling the meeting to discuss the 2006
TIP report demonstrates the high-level attention trafficking
receives in the GOP. End comment.
CROCKER