Washington, D.C.—A State Department spokesman stated on Friday that one of the areas of shared interest between Islamabad and Washington is the prevention of human trafficking, following the remand of social worker Sarim Burney in a Karachi court case one day earlier.
When questioned by Geo News, the official stated, “Preventing crimes like human trafficking, child trafficking, and illegal adoption are areas of mutual interest between Pakistan and the US.”
The spokesperson’s remarks followed Burney’s apprehension and subsequent remand by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on allegations of human trafficking, which included bringing minors into the country unlawfully and smuggling them in after a complaint was made against him by US officials.
The representative stated, “US laws include strict requirements for accreditation,” and went on to say that the laws also cover oversight of foreign organizations in cases of international adoption.
The official insisted, “We value the Pakistani authorities’ cooperation on these matters.”
Burney, who oversees the non-profit Sarim Burney Welfare Trust International, was arrested on June 5 as he arrived at Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport after his visit to the United States.
The social worker was placed under two days of remand by the court on Thursday, and they were instructed to produce him and a case progress report upon the end of the remand.
