Interior minister briefs Shehbaz on Rome, Poland meetings; illegal migration to Europe down 47%
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif was briefed on Sunday, March 1, by Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi. PHOTO: SCREENGRAB
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif was briefed on Sunday by Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on the outcomes of his recent participation in two high-level multilateral meetings held in Europe.
Naqvi informed Shehbaz of his attendance at a four-nation interior ministers’ meeting in Rome, Italy, which brought together counterparts from Pakistan, Italy, Spain, and Greece. He also briefed the premier on a separate six-country meeting held in Poland, attended by the interior ministers of Pakistan, Poland, Latvia, Finland, Estonia, and Lithuania.
Read: EU to bolster Pakistan’s capacity-building efforts
Both conferences resulted in an agreement among participating nations to expedite the issuance of legal work permits for Pakistani nationals, Naqvi told the prime minister.
Further, he conveyed member states’ appreciation for Pakistan’s efforts in reducing the number of individuals travelling illegally to European countries – a figure that fell by 47% within a single year – as well as the measures taken to combat human smuggling.
Read More: Mohsin Naqvi made more efforts than anyone to secure Imran Khan’s release, Gandapur claims
On the bilateral front, Poland and Italy are set to soon abolish visa requirements for holders of Pakistani diplomatic and official passports, Naqvi informed Shehbaz. He also noted that a comprehensive plan to further strengthen Pakistan’s immigration and border security capacity will be presented to the European Union at the earliest opportunity.
Shehbaz commended the interior minister for his efforts. The meeting also touched upon the country’s internal situation and overall security landscape.
