Pakistan to ratify convention against transnational crime

[Naveed Yaseen]

MUSHTAQ GHUMMAN
ISLAMABAD (February 14 2009): Islamabad is to ratify the United Nations convention against transnational organised crimes which will facilitate joint investigations of individuals or groups involved in crimes in other countries and illicit manufacturing and trafficking of firearms, sources close to Secretary Interior told Business Recorder.

Ratification of the UN convention, particularly after the Mumbai attacks, will be an important step likely to be taken by Islamabad to deal with transnational crimes. The UN convention against transnational organised crime was adopted by the General Assembly in its millennium meeting held in November, 2000.

The convention, sources said, spells out how countries can improve co-operation on matters of extradition, mutual legal assistance, transfer of proceedings and joint investigations. It contains provisions for protection of victims and witnesses and shielding legal markets from infiltration by organised criminal groups.

Parties to the convention would also provide technical assistance to developing countries for necessary measures and capacity building to deal with such crimes. Sources said that adoption of the convention and its protocols would help prevent, suppress and punish trafficking in persons, particularly women and children, smuggling of migrants by land, sea and air, illicit manufacturing and trafficking of firearms.

It will also provide basis for international co-operation to combat transnational activities of organised criminal groups. Pakistan signed the convention on December 14, 2000. However, it has not yet been ratified. The convention came into force on December 25, 2003, and 102 countries have already ratified it. Sources said that Pakistan's earnest desire to ratify the convention was conveyed to the Executive Director of the UNODC during his visit to Islamabad in 2005.

The Secretary General of the United Nations, in his letter, addressed to the President of Pakistan urged Pakistan to ratify the convention. The then Minister for Interior brought the issue to the notice of the then Prime Minister and thereafter announced the ratification of the convention during a segment of the 11th UN Congress on crime prevention and criminal justice held on 23-25 April, 2005 in Bangkok.

After approval of the then Prime Minister, all stakeholders in a series of meetings, finalised and concurred the reservations, declarations and notifications on the said convention. "These reservations, declarations and notifications will safeguard Pakistan's interest and would provide umbrellas against requests which will start flowing immediately as the convention is implemented in Pakistan," sources added.

They said that Interior Ministry had conveyed three reservations/notifications of the proposal of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and which have duly been vetted by the Ministry of Law and Justice.

However, Ministry of Foreign Affairs in consultation with the Cabinet Division desired that the Interior Ministry should submit a summary to the Cabinet for ratification of the convention. Sources said the issue would be considered in the Cabinet next week when Interior Ministry would submit Mumbai attacks report to the Cabinet and seek backing for what it has done so far in terms of dealing with the extraordinary situation.

http://www.brecorder.com/index.php?id=887791