Pakistan and Sri Lanka Establish Joint Working Group to Address Migration and Visa Challenges

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Sri Lanka have agreed to establish a joint working group to enhance cooperation between their interior ministries. The initiative focuses on addressing illegal migration, combating forged travel documents, and combating transnational crime, as stated in an official announcement by Pakistan’s interior ministry on Wednesday.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi held a meeting with Sri Lanka counterpart Ananda Wijepala at the United Nations headquarters in New York. During the discussions, both officials explored expanding collaboration in border security, policing, counter-narcotics operations, and immigration management.

This agreement follows Pakistan’s increased efforts to combat human smuggling after multiple deadly migrant boat incidents in recent years. Authorities reported arresting over 1,700 human smugglers last year, resulting in a 47% reduction in illegal migration to Europe. Additionally, Pakistan has implemented an artificial intelligence-driven immigration screening system to detect forged travel documents and prevent unauthorized departures.

The ministers also agreed to strengthen joint efforts against criminal networks and money laundering through a proposed memorandum of understanding. Their cooperation covers visa-related challenges, illegal migration prevention, and enhanced policing coordination to counter fraudulent passports and transnational threats.

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