AI Generated Summary
- In a grave humanitarian appeal, Satnam Singh Chahal, Executive Director of the North American Punjabi Association (NAPA), has urged the Government of India and international humanitarian bodies to intervene urgently in the case of three Punjabi men who were kidnapped in Iran and are now trapped amid the escalating conflict between Iran and Israel.
- As the families of the three men await word of their fate, NAPA’s appeal stands as a stark reminder of the human cost of unchecked migration rackets and the urgent need for both national and international cooperation in times of crisis.
- Calling it a “moral duty,” Chahal appealed to the Indian government to escalate efforts for the safe return of the men and also urged global human rights organisations and the United Nations to facilitate urgent humanitarian access.
In a grave humanitarian appeal, Satnam Singh Chahal, Executive Director of the North American Punjabi Association (NAPA), has urged the Government of India and international humanitarian bodies to intervene urgently in the case of three Punjabi men who were kidnapped in Iran and are now trapped amid the escalating conflict between Iran and Israel.
The men—Husanpreet Singh (27) of Sangrur, Amritpal Singh (23) of Hoshiarpur, and Jaspal Singh (32) of Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar—had set out with hopes of a better future in Australia. According to reports, they had each paid around Rs 18 lakh to Punjab-based agents who promised them a legal migration route via Tehran. But the journey turned into a harrowing ordeal after they were abducted by an international human trafficking syndicate shortly after arriving in Iran.
“These young men have been beaten, held captive, and are now being used as pawns for ransom. Their families are living in agony, clinging to hope even as the region around their sons descends into war,” said Chahal.
The intensifying conflict between Iran and Israel has significantly hampered diplomatic channels and any hope of immediate rescue, Chahal added. He stressed that the deteriorating situation has not only put the lives of the three men at greater risk but has also highlighted the larger issue of human trafficking networks operating across borders with impunity.
Calling it a “moral duty,” Chahal appealed to the Indian government to escalate efforts for the safe return of the men and also urged global human rights organisations and the United Nations to facilitate urgent humanitarian access. “They are not just victims of trafficking,” he said, “they are now victims of war.”
He also called for swift legal action against the travel agents responsible for orchestrating what he described as a calculated and cruel deception. “The Punjab government must ensure that those behind this tragedy are held accountable under the law,” he said.
Chahal reiterated NAPA’s commitment to combating illegal migration and raising awareness about the dangers of human trafficking. He urged young people in Punjab not to fall prey to such schemes that promise opportunity but deliver trauma and danger instead.
As the families of the three men await word of their fate, NAPA’s appeal stands as a stark reminder of the human cost of unchecked migration rackets and the urgent need for both national and international cooperation in times of crisis.
