ISLAMABAD: With an aim to cement the ties between Turkey and Pakistan, the presidents of both countries met in Istanbul on Tuesday to discuss areas of mutual cooperation and deepen bilateral relations in all fields, a statement released by the President of Pakistan’s office said.
President Dr. Arif Alvi is currently in Turkey for a three-day official visit, on the invitation of the country’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, to attend the inauguration of Istanbul’s Grand International Airport on Tuesday.
Erdogan congratulated Alvi on his election win and hoped that bilateral relations between the two brotherly countries would enhance further under Pakistan’s new leadership. Alvi, on his part, stressed on the need for an “early conclusion of the bilateral Free Trade Agreement and increasing the bilateral trade between the two countries”.
He expressed satisfaction at the thriving presence of Turkish investors in Pakistan, adding that he hoped that they, too, could benefit from the various investment opportunities available in the country. He concluded the meeting by inviting Erdogan to visit Pakistan at his earliest convenience.
President Alvi calls for early conclusion of FTA
President Alvi calls for early conclusion of FTA
- Discusses details with Turkish leader during official visit to the country
- Leaders deliberate on course of action to strengthen bilateral relations
Bodies of Pakistani nationals who died attempting illegal migration repatriated from Iran
- Pakistan’s envoy in Tehran warns youth against human smugglers after deaths in harsh weather
- Pakistan reported sharp fall in illegal migration to Europe this year amid nationwide crackdown
ISLAMABAD: The bodies of two Pakistani nationals, who died near the Iran-Türkiye border after attempting to travel illegally to Europe, have been repatriated to the country, said a senior diplomat on Tuesday, reiterating warnings against human smugglers amid an intensified crackdown by authorities in Islamabad on illegal migration.
Pakistan says it has stepped up action against illegal immigration and human trafficking in recent years, reporting a 47% drop in illegal migration to Europe this year and the arrest of more than 1,700 suspected human smugglers, according to official figures.
However, people continue to attempt dangerous irregular journeys in search of work and better economic opportunities abroad.
“The mortal remains of Pakistani nationals Mr. Armanullah s/o Gul Rahman and Mr. Ihtasham s/o Mukhtar Gul, both residents of Nowshera, have been repatriated to Pakistan through Taftan border earlier today,” Pakistan’s ambassador to Iran, Muhammad Mudassir Tipu, said in a post on social media platform X. “Both had fallen victim to the greed of human smugglers and lost their lives in extremely harsh weather conditions near Iran’s border with Turkiye.”
“I once again request the youth back home not to be trapped by human smugglers and instead follow the legal path to travel abroad,” he added, thanking the government of the Balochistan province in Pakistan for arranging the transportation of the bodies and offering condolences to the victims’ families.
The issue illegal immigration has drawn heightened scrutiny since 2023, when hundreds of people, including Pakistani nationals, died attempting to cross the Mediterranean Sea in an overcrowded vessel that sank off the Greek coast, prompting Islamabad to launch nationwide investigations into human smuggling and trafficking networks.
Authorities have since arrested Pakistani and foreign nationals at airports with forged travel documents, highlighting the scale of document fraud linked to illegal departures.
In September, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) released a list of more than 100 of Pakistan’s “most wanted” human smugglers and identified major trafficking hubs across Punjab province and the capital, Islamabad.
Earlier this month, Pakistan announced plans to roll out an artificial intelligence-based immigration screening system at Islamabad airport from January, aimed at detecting forged documents and preventing illegal travel abroad, as part of broader efforts to curb human smuggling and unauthorized migration.
