LAHORE – Former FIA director Sardar Zaheer Ahmed has achieved Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Hero Award for work in fight against human trafficking.
The US State Department had selected eight persons from across the globe including Pakistan’s Zaheer Ahmed to honor their services in fight against human trafficking.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken conferred the prestigious awards at a ceremony on Thursday.
The recipients include: Pureza Lopes Loyola (Brazil), Mech Dara (Cambodia), Imran Ali Abdulabbas Al-Sailawi and Basim Al-Amri (Iraq), Zaheer Ahmed (Pakistan), Paola Hittscher (Peru), Eumelis Moya Goitte (Venezuela) and R Evon Benson-Idahosa (Nigeria).
Today I presented the 2023 TIP Report Hero award to eight individuals who exemplify exceptional efforts to #EndHumanTrafficking. Thank you for your courage and commitment to this work. Read more about the heroes in @JTIP_State’s 2023 #TIPReport on https://t.co/0odi0ZeoGP. pic.twitter.com/YFWOYKtU6c
— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) June 15, 2023
Each year, the US Department of State honours individuals around the world who have devoted their lives to the fight against human trafficking. These individuals include NGO workers, lawmakers, government officials, survivors of human trafficking, and concerned citizens. They are recognized for their tireless efforts—despite some working in challenging environments where human trafficking concerns remain pervasive and facing resistance, opposition, or threats to their lives—to protect victims, punish offenders, and mitigate the underlying factors that cause vulnerabilities traffickers often target.
While working with FIA Anti-Human Smuggling Unit, DIG Zaheer Ahmed was instrumental in enhancing efforts to combat human trafficking. During his tenure, FIA expanded its cooperation with various stakeholders, strategic planning, and information sharing on anti-trafficking efforts, resulting in a significant increase in arrests and prosecutions of traffickers. He helped drive the modernization of Pakistan’s anti-trafficking and anti-smuggling laws and the formulation and implementation of a National Action Plan to Combat Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling.
