Iraqi delegation reaffirms commitment to enhancing cooperation with Pakistan on border management
A high-level delegation from Iraq on Friday reaffirmed commitment to enhance bilateral cooperation in the field of border management, according to a press release by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).
The FIA is a border control agency which plays an important role in preventing illegal immigration and human trafficking. Its crackdown on human smugglers intensified following the capsizing of a boat carrying illegal immigrants near Greece in December last year.
During a visit to the FIA Headquarters in Islamabad, the delegation was welcomed by FIA Additional Director General Jan Muhammad and received a “comprehensive” briefing on Pakistan’s border management practices.
The head of the Iraqi delegation “reaffirmed Iraq’s commitment to further strengthening cooperation between the border management agencies of both countries,” the press release noted.
The briefing included an overview of FIA’s mandate and the work of FIA’s specialised units. “At the Risk Analysis Unit (RAU), the director [of] immigration explained how intelligence-led risk management is being applied to identify and mitigate threats at Pakistan’s borders,” it read.
The delegation visited the forensic laboratory, where the “lab’s crucial role in verifying travel documents, detecting forgery, and supporting litigation in travel-related offences” was highlighted. It also visited the Islamabad International Airport to “witness first-hand the enhancements made under FIA’s next-generation border control systems”.
The delegation was given a detailed briefing on the role of FIA Academy in the capacity building of its personnel and on the operations of the Second Line Border Control in detecting fraudulent travel documents and supporting front-line officers.
The visit was facilitated by the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) under the framework of a Danish-funded Rights-Based Border Management project, the press release said.
Earlier this week, the FIA arrested 14 suspects, including four Iranian nationals, in Balochistan during separate operations targeting human smuggling networks.
In January, 65 FIA officials were blacklisted for posting at any immigration checkpost and anti-human trafficking circles in the country after an inquiry into the Greece boat tragedy.
