ISLAMABAD: Illegal migration from Pakistan to Europe has fallen by 64%, Pakistan’s interior minister said Thursday, as officials agreed with European migration agencies to strengthen cooperation on border management and efforts to combat human trafficking.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi made the remarks during separate meetings with Suzanne Rabe, director general of the International Centre for Migration Policy Development, and Hans Leijtens, executive director of the European Union’s Border and Coast Guard Agency, known as Frontex.
The agencies praised Pakistan’s measures to curb illegal migration, according to a statement from the Interior Ministry. The sides agreed to increase cooperation and reiterated their commitment to strengthening joint efforts to prevent illegal migration and improve border management.
“Despite limited resources, achieving a 64% decrease in illegal migration was a challenging task,” Naqvi said. “The entire team accepted the prevention of illegal migration as a challenge and worked day and night.”
Naqvi said Pakistan’s next target was to eliminate illegal migration entirely.
“To reduce illegal migration, it is necessary to open new avenues for legal migration,” he said, adding that modern technology and training for immigration officers were also needed.
Pakistan plans to install technology-equipped cameras at 500 immigration counters at airports across the country, Naqvi said. He said the cameras would help authorities identify people involved in illegal migration and human trafficking and bring them to justice.
The minister said improving the capacity of border-management institutions in line with modern requirements would remain a priority. He also called for further practical measures and coordinated international cooperation to eliminate illegal migration.
Rabe praised Pakistan’s efforts and said the ICMPD delegation had appreciated a risk-analysis report prepared by the Federal Investigation Agency, Pakistan’s main criminal investigation body.
“All possible cooperation will be extended to Pakistan in achieving the goal of completely eliminating illegal migration,” Rabe said, according to the ministry.
Leijtens also praised Pakistan’s measures and said Frontex would play its role in helping the country achieve its target.
The Frontex delegation included Eva Capona, director of international relations, governance and strategy; Stefano Fila, director of the intelligence division; Jan Wiestl, head of international cooperation; and Ralf Schoepflin, the agency’s senior liaison officer to Pakistan.
Minister of State Talal Chaudhry, the interior ministry’s special secretary and the director general of the Federal Investigation Agency also attended the meetings.
