ISLAMABAD - Sustainable Social Development Organization (SSDO), with support from the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), successfully conducted a two-day intensive workshop focused on strengthening migration governance and combating Transnational Organized Crime (TOC) including trafficking in person and smuggling of migrants.

The training brought together around 40 participants, including parliamentarians and policymakers from Punjab. This initiative aimed to foster a deeper understanding of the legal and policy frameworks surrounding migration, Trafficking in Persons (TIP), and the Smuggling of Migrants (SOM) while enhancing the capacity of key stakeholders to develop and implement robust legislative and governance strategies.

The training began with an opening session led by Executive Director of SSDO, Syed Kausar Abbas who warmly welcomed participants and outlined the objectives of the workshop. He set the stage by highlighting the importance of a coordinated approach in tackling irregular migration and organized crime.

He highlighted the critical role of parliamentary oversight in ensuring the effective implementation of legal frameworks, urging lawmakers to hold the government accountable for upholding migration governance standards. Abbas further called for strengthening collaboration between parliament, civil society, and enforcement agencies to address these complex challenges.

The session was graced by remarks from Director General of the Anti Money Laundering Authority, Dr. Ehsan Sadiq and Deputy British High Commissioner to Pakistan, Andrew Dalgleish.

In his opening remarks, Dr. Ehsan Sadiq highlighted the complexities surrounding Transnational Organized Crime and Irregular Migration in Pakistan, outlining the key issues and challenges. He stressed the urgent need for stronger enforcement mechanisms and enhanced international cooperation to dismantle criminal networks preying on vulnerable populations.

In the afternoon session, an expert in migration and TIP, Dr. Farhan Navid Yousuf explored the Root Causes of Irregular Migration, linking economic vulnerabilities, lack of job opportunities and conflict as key drivers. He stressed the importance of human rights concerns for irregular migrants and proposed policy solutions to promote safe, regular migration pathways.

Dr. Yousuf also emphasized the role of local entrepreneurship and economic opportunities in reducing vulnerability to exploitation, encouraging stakeholders to think innovatively about empowering communities.

One of the key sessions of the day was delivered by Senior Director at SSDO, Shahid Khan Jatoi who addressed the Role of Parliamentarians in Migration Governance. He underlined the critical importance of legislative oversight, detailing how parliamentarians can influence effective migration policies and offering examples of successful parliamentary initiatives.

Participants engaged in interactive discussions, which culminated in the development of a legislative action plan aimed at improving migration governance through enhanced policymaking. The second day was focused on the procedural aspects of legislative work, with Mohsin Abbas Syed, a legislative expert, delivering a session on the Rules of Business of the Provincial Assembly of Punjab.

This session equipped participants with the knowledge of how parliamentary members can utilize tools such as legislation, motions, questions, and call-to-attention notices to influence migration policies and address emerging challenges.

Attendees were divided into working groups to draft legislative specimens, simulating the development of migration-related policies that could be presented in parliament.

The training concluded with parliamentarians formulating a detailed action plan focused on legislative engagement, strengthening the legal framework for migration governance, and creating policies to enhance youth employability and entrepreneurship. The plan also included district- and constituency-level advocacy, awareness-raising initiatives, and youth dialogues.

In his closing remarks, Syed Kausar Abbas reaffirmed the importance of collaborative efforts to improve Pakistan’s migration governance, emphasizing SSDO’s ongoing commitment to capacity building and legislative advocacy in tackling TIP, SOM, and irregular migration.

This workshop, supported by the FCDO, forms part of SSDO’s broader mission to enhance Pakistan’s response to migration governance and transnational organized crime. By engaging policymakers, law enforcement, and civil society, SSDO seeks to develop sustainable solutions that protect vulnerable populations, promote regular migration pathways, and strengthen institutional capacities.

News Published in The Nation

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