Pakistan, 3 EU Countries Agree Strategy to Curb Illegal Migration

Pakistan and Italy, Spain, Greece agree joint framework to curb illegal migration, promote legal pathways and strengthen rapid-response cooperation.

Pakistan and three European countries: Italy, Spain and Greece, agreed on a coordinated strategy to combat illegal migration, human smuggling and narcotics trafficking during a four-nation conference held in Rome on Thursday.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said the meeting concluded with a joint policy framework and the development of a rapid-response mechanism. The participants also reached a consensus on promoting legal migration pathways to counter irregular movement and dismantle smuggling networks.

According to the interior ministry, the European counterparts endorsed Pakistan’s proposal to expand regulated legal channels as an effective tool against illegal migration. The ministers also agreed to extend European Union-supported capacity building for Pakistan.

Naqvi stated that European partners acknowledged Pakistan’s enforcement measures, highlighting a reported 47 per cent reduction in illegal migration cases. The countries further agreed that individuals involved in serious offences would be repatriated to Pakistan to face legal proceedings.

Italy’s Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi, Spain’s Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska and Greece’s Migration Minister Athanasios Plevris participated in the conference. The next round of talks will be hosted by Pakistan later this year as part of continued coordination efforts.