ISLAMABAD: Minister of State for Interior Tallal Chaudhry said on Saturday that Pakistan’s strategy to combat illegal migration had become a model for the world, with the European Union acknowledging a significant decline in irregular migration from the country.

Speaking at the high-level meeting of the Global Alliance to Counter Migrant Smuggling in Vienna, Mr Chaudhry said that effective measures taken under Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi had resulted in a 47 per cent reduction in illegal migration.

“Pakistan’s successful str­ategy against illegal migration has become a model for the world,” he was quoted as saying in a statement issued by the interior ministry.

The minister noted that irregular migration was “not merely a border issue but a global challenge” and stres­sed that a coordinated international strategy was essential to address it effectively. He added that expanding op­­portunities for legal migra­­tion was the need of the hour.

“Modern technology, intelligence sharing, and a coordinated strategy are effective tools in combating human smuggling,” Mr Chaudhry said, adding that irregular migration could not be curbed without promoting “safe, orderly, and legal migration.”

Participants at the Global Alliance meeting also praised the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) for its effective efforts in combating illegal migration and human smuggling.

Published in Dawn, July 5th, 2026