Key Takeaways
- European Union Commissioner Magnus Brunner met with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to discuss migration issues.
- Pakistan highlighted its efforts to curb irregular migration and combat smuggling.
- Both sides agreed to enhance cooperation in border security and legal migration.
European Union Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration Magnus Brunner met with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad to discuss migration and mobility issues, part of the Pakistan-EU Strategic Engagement Plan 2019.
The prime minister emphasized Pakistan’s commitment to addressing irregular migration and its legislative and institutional efforts to combat migrant smuggling and human trafficking.
Brunner appreciated Pakistan’s measures and highlighted a 64 per cent reduction in illegal migration to Europe, commending the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) for its professional competence despite limited resources.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi met with Brunner separately, discussing border security and legal migration. He reiterated Pakistan’s zero-tolerance policy towards illegal migration and its aim to eliminate it completely.
Both officials agreed to strengthen cooperation in immigration, institutional coordination, and border management, with a focus on the EU’s Eastern Corridor Initiative to eliminate illegal migration.
They also discussed expanding legal migration opportunities for skilled Pakistani workers and professionals to meet European labor market needs.
The meeting underscored the importance of practical opportunities for safe, orderly, and regular migration, complementing efforts to address irregular migration.
Both sides agreed to increase collaboration to enhance the capacity of Pakistan Coast Guards and promote border security and legal migration.
Brunner assured Pakistan of all possible cooperation in these efforts.
