President advocates for greater opportunities for legal migration

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari has called for greater opportunities for legal migration for Pakistani workers and professionals to Europe, stressing that Pakistan’s sustained efforts to curb irregular migration should be matched by expanded legal pathways, skills-based mobility and structured cooperation with the European Union.

The President expressed these views during a meeting with Magnus Brunner, European Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration, who called on him at the Aiwan-e-Sadr on Tuesday.

The meeting focused on Pakistan-EU relations, cooperation on migration management, efforts to combat human trafficking and migrant smuggling, and opportunities to facilitate legal migration.

President Asif Ali Zardari said Pakistan attaches great importance to its broad-based cooperation with the European Union and remains committed to implementing the Pakistan-EU Strategic Engagement Plan.

The President highlighted Pakistan’s cooperation with the EU in curbing irregular migration, noting that Pakistan continues to implement the EU Readmission Agreement and has readmitted more than 30,000 individuals over the years. He said Pakistan remains committed to combating human trafficking and irregular migration through stronger legislation, institutional capacity, border controls and international cooperation.

Referring to the progress made in reducing irregular migration, the President noted that, according to EU figures, irregular migration from Pakistan reduced by 64 percent in the last eighteen months, making Pakistan the only country in the region to achieve such a reduction.

He said this progress reflects Pakistan’s sustained efforts and underlined the importance of expanding safe and legal avenues for migration.

The meeting was informed that Pakistan has sought the European Union’s assistance in strengthening the capacity of the Pakistan Coast Guards and the Federal Investigation Agency to enhance efforts to combat irregular migration and migrant smuggling.

The President emphasised that legal migration pathways are essential to providing safe opportunities for workers and reducing reliance on smuggling networks. He highlighted the Pakistan-EU Migration and Mobility Dialogue as a useful framework for matching Pakistan’s human-resource potential with European labour-market needs and expressed the hope that the next round of dialogue, expected to take place in Brussels early next year, would advance this cooperation.

President Zardari also welcomed the expansion of the EU Talent Partnerships framework and called for greater opportunities for skilled workers and professionals, including through circular migration.

He said Pakistan is ready to work with the EU on a structured mechanism to match its workforce with European labour-market requirements.

He also expressed the hope that the EU would consider establishing a European Legal Gateway Office in Pakistan, given the existing Talent Partnership and the country’s efforts to curb irregular migration.

The President said Pakistan and the EU have a broad-based relationship spanning political dialogue, trade, development cooperation and other areas of mutual interest. He expressed confidence that continued engagement would strengthen mutual understanding and help advance practical cooperation on migration and mobility.

Commissioner Magnus Brunner appreciated Pakistan’s role in maintaining regional balance and said Pakistan has done an amazing job in this regard.

He also commended Pakistan’s efforts to prevent irregular migrants from undertaking dangerous journeys that cost many of them their lives.

European Union Ambassador to Pakistan RaimundasKaroblis, Henrik Nielsen; Director of Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs, Grigorios Delavekouras and Cabinet Member of Commissioner Brunner, Lukas Gassner, accompanied the Commissioner.

Federal Minister for Interior and Narcotics Control Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi; Minister of State for Interior and Narcotics Control, Muhammad Talal Chaudhry; Senator Sherry Rehman, Senator SaleemMandviwalla and former federal minister Naveed Qamar also attended the meeting.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026