Human trafficking cases witness sharp increase in 2011

 Human trafficking cases witness sharp increase in 2011

Malaysia, Hong Kong and South Korea favorite destinations of traffickers for semi-educated, labourer class


Like other social crimes penetrating in Pakistani society, human-trafficking cases have considerably increased during 2011, whereas the authorities concerned seemed unable to keep check on this nefarious act.

In Islamabad district courts 26 cases were registered against different people allegedly involved in human trafficking incidents.

FIR vide No 216/10 was registered against Muhammad Sabir, under sections 6PA/ 420/ 468/ 471 PPC, FIA/ AHT. Muhammad Sabir whose name is mentioned in the FIA Red Book has been operating from Dubai since 2003. The accused arrived by Private Air line at Benazir Bhutto International Airport on few days ago and residence for his own home and some time Blue Area Islamabad, where he rented the flat in commercial Plaza. During the period, he managed to send more that 150 people to Greece, Turkey, European and Middle Eastern countries and charged them Rs 0.7 million to Rs 1million each. FIA arrested the accused on March 27, 2011

An FIR vide 293/11 dated 26-04-11 was registered against Asad Ullha, a resident of District Sargodha under sections 6PA/ 420/ 468/ 471 PPC, FIA/ Anti Human Trafficking (AHT). The Investigative Agency arrested accused on April 26, 2011 at Blue Area Islamabad. Asad was settled down in Middle East since last five years and involve in human trafficking since 20 years. Asad Ullha whose name is mentioned in the FIA Red Book has been operating from Middle East. During the period, he managed to send more than 200 people to Greece, Turkey, European and Middle Eastern countries

An FIR vide 25/7 was registered against Abdul Shahid under sections 6PA/ 420/ 468 PPC. The accused was settled down in UAE since last seven years and involved in human trafficking since 8 years. FIA arrested the accused on March 17, 2011. During interrogation 14 Pakistani Passports and five different countries of Europe and Middle East has been recovered from accused.

According to FIA official these kinds of group revealed that the three main frequent routes used by traffickers in Pakistan include Makran coast, Thar and porous border with Afghanistan, the sea routes of Karachi, Ormara, Pasni Gawadar and Jiwani are easy routes to get to the Gulf. The favourite destinations of traffickers remain South East Asian countries such as Malaysia, Hong Kong and South Korea that are popular with semi-educated, labourer class. The common destination countries include Gulf and Saudi Arabia and amongst Western Europe and the UK are the most favourite destinations followed by Italy, Spain, Greece, Cyprus and Scandinavian countries. 

According to FIA official, the people involved in human trafficking are charging huge money from the people. He said that the human traffickers charge half money as an advance and remaining amount will charge after person reaches as respective country.

Afzal Niazi, FIA Investigation officer of Anti Human Trafficking Cell said that more than 400 human traffickers are running their businesses in different parts of the country and are using air, land and sea routes for their activities. He said that every day 75-100 illegal immigrants are reached in country airports. He said that to stop human trafficking, talks are underway to fence the Pak-Iran border with barbed wire in order to stop human trafficking. He said that we are coordinating with border patrol officials of neighboring countries to stop this activity. He said that the agency also depot counter of proper checking in airports. He said that FIA has started rigorous campaign against those persons, who involved in human trafficking.

More than half of Twitter and Facebook users risk jail EVERY DAY

More than half of Twitter and Facebook users risk jail EVERY DAY

More than two-thirds would upload copyrighted material to the internet

More than half couldn't identify a defamatory statement

A third were unaware that organizing looting via Facebook or Twitter was illegal

Tweeting and posting messages on Facebook are part of many people’s daily routine – but more than half of users risk possibly lengthy jail sentences by not understanding how the law affects them when they’re online.

A study by online advice site knowthenet.org.uk found that a worrying number of young people had no idea that while they’re online, they could be breaking copyright and privacy laws, making defamatory remarks or even inciting riots.

The survey comes after two people were jailed for four years each for attempting to incite a riot on Facebook this summer.

Stark reminder: Composite Image of Jordan Blackshaw, 20, (left) and Perry Sutcliffe-Keenan, 22, were both sentenced to four years behind bars for trying to incite a riot via a Facebook message

Jordan Blackshaw and Perry Sutcliffe-Keenan, from Cheshire, received the hefty terms despite the riot not taking place.

It’s was a stark warning, yet a third of people did not realize that posting a message to organize vandalism and looting was illegal.

When discussing the incitement of violence during the London riots, one participant said: ‘My friend was on Twitter and made some joke about looting. Loads of people attacked him online and then the police found him and they shut down his BBM [Blackberry messenger] and Twitter - but he was just joking, he didn’t know how serious it would be!’

The survey, which questioned 2,000 young people aged 14 to 21, also found that 67 per cent would be happy to upload content to the internet, such as photos and song lyrics that was in fact protected by copyright laws.

After learning that in many cases it’s illegal to upload a video of a concert onto YouTube, another participant said: ‘I always film concerts and put it on YouTube, but I never even thought it could be a problem!’

Risk: Advice site knowthenet.org.uk found that many social network users didn't know they were routinely breaking the law

Earlier this year, meanwhile, there was a storm on Twitter when messages appeared that flouted a ‘super injunction’ footballer Ryan Gigs had taken out preventing his identification over an affair he had with Imogen Thomas.

Still, almost two-thirds said they would discuss or publish details of a super injunction.

Defamation was also identified as a risk area with only 42 per cent able to correctly identify a defamatory statement.

Phil Kingsland, site director at knowthenet.org.uk, said: ‘The results of the study show a worrying lack of understanding of how the law applies online, particularly amongst younger age groups.

‘In the past year we’ve seen many cases of people being convicted for offences committed online and, whilst there are those who set out to deliberately break the law and get punished, , there are many others who could find themselves in trouble without realizing they were doing anything wrong.’

Jonathan Armstrong, legal expert for the site, added: 'There seems to be a sense that different rules apply when, in fact, most laws apply on the internet and there are also a range of new laws that specifically address online activities. 

'When you combine that with the fact that virtually all online activity leaves an electronic footprint for prosecutors to follow, you end up with a situation where large swathes of the population are at risk.'

Taking multi-vitamin pills 'does nothing for our health'

Taking multi-vitamin pills 'does nothing for our health'

Research shows vitamin takers are just as likely to develop cancer or heart disease as those who take no tablets

They  are a daily essential for millions of peoples hoping to ward off ill-health. 

But despite the millions of pounds spent on vitamin pills, they do nothing for our health, according to a major study.

Researchers spent more than six years following 8,000 people and found that those taking supplements were just as likely to  have developed cancer or heart disease as those who took an identical-looking dummy pill.

And when they were questioned on how healthy they felt, there was hardly any difference between the two groups.

Experts said the study – one of the most extensive carried out into vitamin pills – suggested that  millions of consumers may be wasting their money on supplements.

Many users fall into the category of the ‘worried well’ – healthy  adults who believe the pills  will insure them against deadly  illnesses – according to  Catherine Collins, chief dietician  at St George’s Hospital in London. 

She said: ‘It’s the worried well who are taking these pills to try and protect themselves against Alzheimer’s disease, heart attacks and strokes.

But they are wasting their  money. This was a large study  following people up for a long period of time assessing everything from their mobility and blood  pressure to whether they were happy or felt pain.

 Multi-vitamin supplements have become increasingly popular as a quick and easy way of topping up the body’s nutrient levels.

But a series of studies have indicated that, for some people, they could actually be harmful. 

Two studies published last year suggested supplements could raise the risk of cancer. 

But they are wasting their  money. This was a large study  following people up for a long period of time assessing everything from their mobility and blood  pressure to whether they were happy or felt pain.’

Multi-vitamin supplements have become increasingly popular as a quick and easy way of topping up the body’s nutrient levels.

But a series of studies have indicated that, for some people, they could actually be harmful. 

Two studies published last year suggested supplements could raise the risk of cancer. 

One found pills containing vitamin E, ascorbic acid, beta-carotene, selenium and zinc increased the risk of malignant melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, four-fold.

The other discovered women on a daily multi-vitamin pill increased their risk of breast cancer by up to 20 per cent.

While the evidence that vitamins can do harm is still limited, the latest study seems to confirm that many people are at the very least taking them unnecessarily.

A team of French researchers,  led by experts at Nancy University, tracked 8,112 volunteers who  took either a placebo capsule, or one containing vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene, selenium  and zinc, every day for just over  six years.

They assessed the state of their health at the beginning and end of the trial, taking a quality of life survey designed to measure everything from mobility and pain to vitality and mental health.

When researchers analysed how many in each group had gone on to develop serious illnesses over the years, they found little difference.

In the supplement group, 30.5 per cent of patients had suffered a major health ‘event’, such as  cancer or heart disease. 

In the placebo group, the rate was 30.4 per cent.

There were 120 cases of cancer in those taking vitamins, compared to 139 in the placebo group, and  65 heart disease cases, against  57 among the dummy pill users. 

In a report on their findings, published in the International Journal of Epidemiology, the researchers said: ‘The perception that supplementation improves general well-being is not supported by this trial.

Miss Collins said the results of the study ‘reinforce the idea that if you’re worried about your health and start taking multi-vitamins, you will still be worried about it six years later’.

But the Health Supplements Information Service, which is funded by supplements manufacturers, said the finding that vitamins had no impact on how people perceived their health was ‘to be expected’.

Spokeswoman Dr Carrie Ruxton said: ‘The role of vitamin supplements is to prevent deficiencies and make sure people are receiving their recommended levels.

‘They won’t have a measurable impact on how you feel on a  day-to-day basis but what they  are doing is topping up your recommended levels to the right amount. They are not meant to be a magic bullet.

Fire hazard fears over compact fluorescent lamps - after they've stopped working

Fire hazard fears over compact fluorescent lamps - after they've stopped working

Compact fluorescent lamps, which will gradually replace traditional incandescent bulbs, are a fire hazard that could burn down your home, experts have warned.

The lamps (CFLs) use electricity to heat an element in the lamp’s base that leads the mercury vapor gas in the coils to emit light. 

But when a CFL can no longer produce light, the electronics in its base will still try to function, sometimes leading to overheating, smoke and fire.   

ان بلبوں سے انتہائی خطرہ ہے چاہے یہ استعمال میں میں نہ بھی ہوں تو بھی آپ کے گھر کو آگ لگا سکتے ہیں

Safety concerns: There have been reports of smoke coming from the bases of compact fluorescent lamps that are no longer working

Fires from the old incandescent bulbs, on the other hand, are virtually nonexistent, masslive.com reports.  

The bulb ends its life when the wire filament, which produces light when electricity passes through it, burns out and breaks.

CFLs have been touted as the blub of the future because it uses about a fifth of the power than a regular bulb and have a life six to 10 times as great.