BRITAIN’S tough immigration posture has again drawn attention to the sharp rise in asylum claims by Pakistani nationals. While the UK recently imposed an “emergency brake” on certain visa routes for some countries, Pakistan has so far escaped similar curbs. Yet the debate in London suggests that the issue is far from settled. According to official data, Pakistanis now constitute the largest group applying for asylum in the UK. Over 10,000 sought asylum in 2024 — almost double the figure recorded a year earlier. Many entered the UK through legal routes — student, visitor or work visas — and later sought asylum. However, the picture is more complex than what political rhetoric suggests. Both British and Pakistani sources say that Islamabad has been cooperating with the UK on the repatriation of rejected asylum seekers. When individuals are formally identified and travel documentation is arranged, Pakistan has generally facilitated the process of return, which may partly explain why it has not yet faced sweeping visa curbs.

Nonetheless, the scale of asylum applications is troubling. More than 70pc of Pakistani claims are reportedly rejected, suggesting they do not meet the legal threshold for protection. When individuals exploit legal visa routes to pursue weak asylum claims, they weaken trust in the entire visa framework, which is particularly damaging for the thousands of genuine Pakistani students coming to the UK each year. If British officials conclude that legal visa routes are being misused, the most immediate victims will be legitimate applicants. For Pakistan, the challenge is twofold. Continued cooperation on deportations is essential to maintain diplomatic credibility. But an equally urgent task lies at home: understanding why so many citizens view asylum as an attractive pathway. Economic pressures, misinformation by migration agents and unrealistic expectations about jobs abroad all play a role. Left unaddressed, these trends will jeopardise educational and professional pathways for genuine applicants.

Published in Dawn, March 9th, 2026