ISLAMABAD, Feb. 27, 2026 — Several European Union member states have endorsed Pakistan’s recent measures to curb illegal immigration and agreed to expand legal employment opportunities for Pakistani nationals, the interior ministry said Friday.
The understanding was reached at a conference attended by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and representatives from Poland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Finland, focusing on coordinated steps to prevent irregular migration and human trafficking.
“The conference agreed to formulate a comprehensive roadmap to discourage illegal immigration and encourage legal immigration,” the ministry said in a statement. “All countries also agreed to provide jobs for Pakistan at the official level.”
Spotlight on migrant tragedies
Illegal migration has drawn heightened scrutiny in Pakistan in recent years after multiple boat capsizes claimed the lives of hundreds of Pakistanis attempting to reach Europe. Authorities have also reported arrests of Pakistani and foreign nationals at airports carrying forged travel documents.
The tragedies highlighted the dangers faced by migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh, India and Afghanistan who undertake perilous journeys in search of economic opportunities abroad.
Naqvi told conference participants that Pakistan had adopted a coordinated strategy against human trafficking networks and irregular migration.
“Illegal immigration from Pakistan to Europe has decreased by 47 percent,” he said, attributing the decline to a crackdown on trafficking syndicates.
Roadmap and security coordination
According to the ministry, participating EU countries agreed to appoint focal persons within Pakistan’s interior ministry to improve coordination and information sharing.
The conference also included consultations on broader internal security issues, including militancy and narcotics control, with participants pledging to adopt a coordinated approach to address shared challenges.
Officials described the agreement as an effort to balance enforcement against human smuggling with expanded pathways for lawful labor migration, potentially easing economic pressures that drive irregular departures.
The announcement comes as Pakistan seeks closer engagement with European partners on migration management while addressing domestic concerns over trafficking networks and the reputational and humanitarian costs of migrant tragedies.
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