Islamabad (GNP): Magnus Brunner, the European Union’s (EU) Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration, paid a call on Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad.
The talks centred on closer Pakistan-EU cooperation in migration and mobility, one of the eight pillars of the Pakistan-EU Strategic Engagement Plan 2019. Welcoming Brunner on his first trip to Pakistan, Shehbaz said his country places great importance on its partnership with the EU and is committed to deepening cooperation under every pillar of the plan.
The Prime Minister pointed to Pakistan’s continuing work against irregular migration, migrant smuggling and human trafficking, carried out through legal reforms, stronger institutions, effective enforcement and international cooperation.
He said such efforts should go hand in hand with real opportunities for safe, orderly and regular migration. Wider legal routes for skilled Pakistani workers and professionals, he noted, would help meet the labour needs of European countries and make would-be migrants less vulnerable to smuggling networks.
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Brunner welcomed the steps Pakistan has taken and the cooperation its government has offered. He voiced confidence that these efforts would help widen legal migration channels and promote labour mobility that benefits both Pakistan and the EU.
Sohail Majeed is a Special Correspondent at The Diplomatic Insight. He has twelve plus years of experience in journalism & reporting. He covers International Affairs, Diplomacy, UN, Sports, Climate Change, Economy, Technology, and Health.
