European Union (EU) Commissioner for Migration and Home Affairs Ylva Johansson praised Pakistan for “performing well” in cracking down on cross-border crimes such as terrorism, smuggling, and trafficking.
Speaking at a media briefing alongside Pakistani State Minister for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar, Johansson called for greater cooperation on cross-border crimes.
Apart from Khar, Johansson held discussions on terrorism, organised crime, and border control the border with Afghanistan with officials from Front Corps and Federal Investigation Agency.
In fact, during her visit to Peshawar, the EU official said she was “impressed” with Pakistan’s border control management and lauded it as a “very important and strategic partner.”
Broad exchange of views on migration and mobility with #TeamEurope in Pakistan. The 🇪🇺 EU Commissioner @YlvaJohansson concluded her two day visit to 🇵🇰 Pakistan.#StrongerTogether@RKionka @eu_eeas @BelgiumISB @nicolaeg2002 @EU_Partnerships @EUHomeAffairs pic.twitter.com/lT0E6RtxoE
— EUPakistan (@EUPakistan) November 14, 2022
Johansson also celebrated Pakistan for taking in three million Afghans, including 1.3 million refugees. She drew comparisons with the EU, which she said has faced a “similar challenge” in taking in 4.5 million Ukrainian refugees.
Khar responded by saying that Pakistan’s decision to take in Afghan refugees is driven by “sheer global responsibility” and not the allure of praise from the international community.
Johansson and Khar also held consultations on migration, mobility, dialogue, and security cooperation and discussed measures to facilitate legal entry into Europe.
The meetings paved the way for the launch of a comprehensive dialogue on migration and mobility to increase cooperation on illegal migration and the legal migration of skilled workers.
Today, I visited Peshawar, close to the Afghan border, where I exchanged views with Pakistan’s Frontier Corps and the Fedeal Investigation Agency (FIA).
— Ylva Johansson (@YlvaJohansson) November 13, 2022
I was briefed on fight against terrorism and organised crime and on border management activities.@EUPakistan @GovtofPakistan
According to a press release by the EU, the agreement covers all facets of migration management, including “legal pathways for migration to Europe and addressing irregular migration and migrant smuggling and, continued enhanced cooperation on return, readmission and reintegration, through the full and effective implementation of the Pakistan-EU readmission agreement.”||In light of the EU’s “ageing population”, Khar said that 65% of Pakistan’s young population could provide the bloc with skilled labour in several fields, including information technology.
In this regard, the Talent Partnership with Pakistan will allow skilled workers to work and live in EU countries. This includes providing language courses and skills training.
Every year, tens of thousands of illegal migrants try to enter the EU from Turkey or Iran. Several of these migrants are Afghan refugees that have sought shelter in Pakistan following the Taliban’s takeover in August 2021.
Khar also touched on the value offered by the bloc’s GSP+ scheme, which facilitates investment in developing countries in exchange for their adherence to specific human rights, environmental, and governance standards.
“The EU is grateful to Pakistan for hosting Afghan refugees for decades” says Ylva Johansson, EU Commissioner on Migration and Home Affairs. Pak MoS @HinaRKhar adds, “We are doing this out of our own responsibility and not for acknowledgement”. #Pakistan #Afghanistan pic.twitter.com/Q6msv3YkaV
— Anas Mallick (@AnasMallick) November 14, 2022
In September 2021, the European Commission introduced additional standards on children’s rights and people with disabilities. As a result of these changes, the European Parliament introduced a resolution in April 2021 to review Pakistan’s GSP+ status over its treatment of minority groups and media persons.
Although the resolution has not been passed, Khar stressed that Islamabad’s GSP+ status is mutually beneficial.
“Through GSP Plus, we have seen an escalation in two-way exports of more than 60 per cent… I think this is a win-win situation and therefore we are looking toward the ongoing dialogue on that and the continuation of that to offer possibilities for the two,” she noted.
Johansson and Khar also agreed to hold the EU-Pakistan counter-terrorism dialogue in 2023 in Islamabad.
Prior to her two-day trip to Pakistan Johansson visited Bangladesh, where she announced a $3.1 million support programme for Rohingya refugees. She also announced a comprehensive dialogue on migration and mobility to combat migrant smuggling.