Pakistan and EU agree to strengthen migration cooperation

Mohsin Naqvi and Magnus Brunner met in Islamabad to discuss border security and legal migration opportunities for skilled workers.

Pakistan's interior minister and the European commissioner for internal affairs and migration agreed on October 13 to deepen coordination between their agencies. Dawn and Radio Pakistan reported that the two sides also plan to work together on the EU's Eastern Corridor Initiative against irregular migration.

Brunner praised Pakistan's Federal Investigation Agency and cited a 64% reduction in irregular migration to Europe. Naqvi said Pakistan's next objective was to eliminate such movements altogether.

The Pakistani minister had already cited the same percentage in September. The account of the latest meeting did not identify the comparison period, so the figure does not establish a separate reduction during October.

The discussions also covered more legal migration opportunities for skilled workers and support for the capacity of Pakistan's Coast Guards. No new visa quotas or timetable for specific programmes were announced.