UK announces £8m for anti-illegal migration efforts with Pakistan

The United Kingdom has pledged an additional £8 million to bolster joint efforts with Pakistan in combating crime and illegal migration. The announcement was made by UK Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Middle East, Afghanistan and Pakistan, Hamish Falconer, during his visit to Islamabad.

Falconer expressed gratitude to Pakistan for its significant role in facilitating diplomatic efforts that led to the US-Iran agreement. He met with Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, personally thanking him for the country's contribution to the diplomatic process. The new funding package is intended to strengthen bilateral cooperation against crime and illegal migration, with a focus on enhancing border management and visa systems. It will also provide technical expertise to Pakistani law-enforcement agencies to disrupt human-smuggling and trafficking networks.

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The UK-Pakistan partnership is critical for safeguarding global, regional and British national security through close cooperation agai­nst terrorist threats, visa fraud and serious organised crime. We are taking this partnership to a new level through additional funding aimed at deterring illegal migration and addressing its causes at the source.

The additional funding aims to tackle illegal migration to Britain by addressing the root causes that compel individuals to undertake dangerous journeys. The package will also support the return of individuals without legal status in the UK and finance community-based initiatives in areas identified as vulnerable to illegal migration. Key program areas include improving identity verification, enhancing information-sharing mechanisms, strengthening investigative capacities against smuggling networks, and expanding prevention initiatives to reduce exploitation risks.

During discussions with Pakistan's senior leadership, Falconer and Pakistani officials engaged in a comprehensive exchange of views on regional developments, Pakistan's economic outlook, ongoing structural reforms, fiscal priorities, institutional modernization, and opportunities to deepen economic cooperation between the two nations. Falconer reiterated the UK's commitment to promoting stability in the Middle East and affirmed that Britain would continue collaborating closely with partners, including Pakistan, to support efforts toward lasting regional peace. He emphasized that the UK-Pakistan partnership is vital for safeguarding global, regional, and British national security through cooperation against terrorist threats, visa fraud, and serious organized crime.

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The US-Iran agreement represented an important opportunity for regional stability and thanked Pakistan for its role in supporting diplomatic efforts.