ISLAMABAD: The Cabinet has cleared an agreement with the European Union (EU) aimed at expediting deportation of thousands of Pakistanis in Europe illegally and present in 14 European countries, well-informed sources told Business Recorder.
The pact calls for a service agreement to be signed between Pakistan's National Database Registration Authority (Nadra) and European Union's International Organization of Migration (IOM) on deployment of the Readmission Case Management System (RCMS).
The process to accept Pakistanis who reached Europe illegally will be starting at a time when an influx of lakhs of Overseas Pakistanis is already landing in Pakistan due to Covid- 19 hit economies of Middle East.
On July 8, 2020, Interior Division informed the Cabinet that the agreement between Pakistan and European Community on the readmissions of persons residing without authorization, known as EURA was signed on October 26, 2009. In accordance with Article-16 of the EURA a Joint Readmission Committee (JRC) had been constituted to monitor implementation of the agreement.
In the second meeting of JRC, It was suggested that an electronic platform would be established in European Union Member States (EUMS), Pakistan Diplomatic Mission (PDM) Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) and Ministry of Interior (MoI) for electronic processing of readmission applications for verification of nationality. The European Union and Ministry of Interior in the 5th JRC meeting agreed to establish an "Electronic Platform" for fast processing of readmission cases. The EU authorized the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to work with Pakistan on behalf of EU, on Migration. IOM was the United Nations Migration Agency with mandate for working on Border Management, Afghan Refugees and Migrant Health.
In this regard, agreement between Nadra and IOM to establish the RCMS with 04 EU Member States (Belgium, France, Germany and Greece) was signed on April 20, 2017 for Beta Testing Phase of RCMS (Pilot Phase). As many as 4,256 cases had been processed electronically being received from four pilot member states. It was decided on August 20, 2018, that in next phase RCMS, would be installed in the remaining 14 European Union member states.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs shared the draft agreement with Ministry of Interior and conveyed its NOC from political point of view.
The draft Service Agreement was discussed and finalized after detailed discussion with all concerned stakeholders. Ministry of Law and Justice has also vetted the agreement from legal point of view.
The Prime Minister had seen and approved summary with the direction that Nadra may share data of emigration (if any) found as a result of the said exercise with Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and HRD.
Cabinet Division in a letter on April 7, 2020 conveyed the observation raised by the Minister for Human Rights on the service agreement. The Ministry of Interior delivered a detailed presentation to the Minister for Human Rights on June 10, 2020, After due consideration, the Ministry of Human Rights had conveyed their no objection to proceed with the service agreement.
Interior Ministry sought the approval of the Cabinet to signing the service agreement between Nadra and IOM on deployment of the Readmission Case Management System (RCMS).
The Cabinet considered the summary submitted by the Ministry of Interior and approved the proposal for implementation on service agreement.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2020
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