Pakistan Advocates Global Tech Collaboration to Combat Illegal Immigration at Vienna Forum]

ISLAMABAD – Pakistan’s State Minister for Interior Tallal Chaudhry has called for coordinated international efforts backed by modern technology to address illegal immigration, speaking at a Vienna forum focused on countering migrant smuggling.

Chaudhry, representing Pakistan at the Global Alliance to Counter Migrant Smuggling, highlighted Islamabad’s recent initiatives, including a 47 percent drop in illegal immigration to Europe last year and the arrest of more than 1,700 human smugglers during nationwide operations.

“Illegal migration is a global challenge, not just a border issue,” the interior ministry quoted Chaudhry as saying. “Effective solutions require intelligence sharing, modern technology, and joint strategies.”

He emphasized the importance of expanding safe, orderly, and legal migration pathways to reduce unauthorized movement. Pakistan has implemented an artificial intelligence-driven immigration screening system in Islamabad to identify forged documents and prevent illegal departures.

The UK recently pledged an additional Rs2.9 billion (£8 million) to support joint efforts against illegal migration and crime in Pakistan. The issue gained urgency in Pakistan following reports of hundreds of nationals dying in migrant tragedies and widespread arrests of individuals attempting to leave with fraudulent documents.

Migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, Afghanistan, and other nations often undertake dangerous journeys to Europe driven by economic hardship.

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