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Arms Trafficking in Pakistan

Arms Trafficking in Pakistan

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Millions of unregistered firearms, surging drug addiction, and cross-border trafficking have turned Pakistan into a hotspot for organized crime. Corruption and economic instability have allowed illicit markets — from heroin to weapons — to flourish.

Terrorist groups like the Tehrik-e-Taliban are thriving in this landscape, carrying out deadly attacks and deepening insecurity.

And in the midst of this unrest, a suicide bombing in Pahalgam that killed 26 Indian tourists has reignited military tensions with India — adding fuel to the long-standing conflict over Indian-administered Kashmir.

According to the OC Index, arms trafficking in Pakistan is only getting worse - the criminal market scored 8.5 out of 10 in 2023, an increase of 0.5 from 2021 – placing it alongside the likes of Russia, Mexico, Turkey and others.

Presenter: Thin Lei Win

Speaker(s): Paddy Ginn, Senior Analyst, Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime

Links:

Pakistan Country Profile

The Global Organized Crime Index

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