Jalandhar-Satnam Singh Chahal, Executive Director of the North American Punjabi Association (NAPA), has strongly criticized the failure of both the Union and Punjab governments 
. He emphasized that despite continuous efforts by NAPA to address this grave issue, the lack of government initiative has left it unresolved.
Chahal pointed out that the Government of India’s Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs (MOIA) had acknowledged this concern by including it in their Action Taken Report (ATR) on the suggestions of the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) 2015. The issue was registered under Column 16 of the ATR Report, yet no concrete steps have been taken either by the Union Government or the Punjab Government to put an end to illegal human smuggling.
“This issue primarily stems from human trafficking in northern states and union territories, especially Punjab, Delhi, and Chandigarh,” said Chahal. “Many individuals from these regions attempt to migrate illegally to destinations like the United States and Canada, often ending up detained in refugee camps. The North American Punjabi Association (NAPA) has repeatedly flagged this matter, urging action from the Indian authorities.”
In response to these concerns, the MOIA had previously stated that it would coordinate with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to address the issue. Additionally, the MOIA had committed to launching a more aggressive public awareness campaign to prevent the recurrence of such illegal activities in northern states and union territories. However, no substantial action has been taken so far.
Chahal urged the government to take immediate and concrete steps to tackle human smuggling, strengthen border controls, and create legal avenues for migration to protect vulnerable individuals from falling prey to traffickers.