ISLAMABAD: Three European countries — Italy, Spain and Greece — and Pakistan reached a consensus on Thursday to promote legal pathways to “effectively combat illegal migration”, according to Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi.

The consensus was reached at a four-nation conference in Rome, Naqvi said in a post on social media platform X, adding that ministers from Italy, Spain and Greece attended the meeting.

“Productive meeting in Rome with my counterparts from Italy, Spain and Greece at the four-nation conference on curbing illegal migration.

“Pakistan, Italy, Spain and Greece agreed on a coordinated strategy against illegal migration, human smuggling and narcotics, including a joint policy framework and rapid-response mechanism,” he said.

The interior minister added that a consensus was also reached at the conference on “promoting legal pathways to effectively counter illegal migration [and] repatriation of criminals to face the law”.

“European partners appreciated Pakistan’s strong actions, noting a 47 per cent reduction in illegal migration, and agreed on enhanced European Union-supported capacity building,” he said.

Separately, a statement by the interior ministry also said that the three European countries endorsed Naqvi’s proposal of establishing legal pathways as a strategy to combat illegal migration and human smuggling during the conference.

Italy’s Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi, Spain’s Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska and Greece’s Migration Minister Athanasios Plevri agreed that creating regulated legal channels for migration was the “most effective way to dismantle the networks of human smugglers and discourage dangerous irregular journeys”.

Agreeing with Naqvi’s proposal to curb illegal migration through legal pathways, they also decided to “extend full support” to Pakistan for capacity building via the European Union.

The participants also agreed to adopt a “coordinated strategy at all levels to combat illegal migration”, and a joint policy framework was finalised to counter illegal migration, human smuggling and narcotics trafficking.

Moreover, it was agreed that criminals involved in “serious offences” would be repatriated from Europe to Pakistan to face legal proceedings, the interior ministry’s statement said.

The four ministers emphasised the need for strengthening coordination and enhancing a joint and rapid response mechanism to curb illegal migration, the statement said, adding that they also decided to hold the next meeting in Pakistan later this year.

The statement quoted Naqvi as telling the European ministers that mafias involved in illegal migration had been brought under the law.

He noted that Europe was one of the most affected regions by illegal migration and stressed that a coordinated mechanism could effectively address this challenge.

The three European countries also “appreciated Pakistan’s efforts for curbing illegal migration and lauded the 47 per cent reduction” in such cases, the statement said.

It quoted the Italian minister as saying that “Pakistani institutions have taken excellent steps” against illegal migration. Meanwhile, the Spanish minister commended the “exemplary actions taken under Naqvi’s leadership”, the statement said.