The Federal Investigation Agency together with the International Centre for Migration Policy Development held a two-day Validation Workshop in Islamabad to finalise a National Awareness Raising Framework under the project Preventing Fraudulent Job Advertisements and Cyber Activity as a Facilitator of Irregular Migration and Trafficking in Human Beings known as FJA-PAK, funded by the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration. The workshop concentrated on practical steps to reduce the harm caused by fake job ads and related cyber threats that target aspiring Pakistani migrants.
Participants engaged in hands-on sessions and experience sharing to shape a framework that strengthens public information and prevention measures. Emphasis was placed on targeted capacity building, tailored awareness-raising initiatives and the establishment of reliable information-sharing and referral mechanisms to ensure timely response to fraudulent recruitment attempts and online scams.
Senior officials from the Ministry of Interior, Federal Investigation Agency, National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency, Islamabad Police, Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority, Overseas Employment Corporation Islamabad, Bureau of Emigration and Overseas Employment, National Police Bureau, Pakistan Telecommunication Authority, Migrant Resource Centre Pakistan and National CERT Pakistan took part in discussions. Stakeholders identified gaps in current outreach and proposed recommendations for a comprehensive national awareness-raising campaign to better detect and deter fake job ads.
Consensus was reached on the way forward for implementing the campaign and on final inputs to shape a National Plan of Action on Awareness Raising. The coordinated approach seeks to give Pakistani migrants clearer, safer pathways by reducing exposure to fraudulent offers, improving interagency cooperation and enhancing public awareness of the risks posed by online recruitment fraud and cyber-enabled trafficking.
