Arms Trafficking in Pakistan | The Index Podcast

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 WinSpeaker(s): Paddy Ginn, Senior Analyst, Global Initiative against Transnational Organized CrimeLinks:Pakistan Country ProfileThe Global Organized Crime Index