Islamabad: Italy will issue 10,500 work visas to skilled Pakistani labourers following a high-level meeting between Federal Interior Minister Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi and Italian Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi, 24NewsHD reported on Wednesday.
In addition, Italy approved a visa exemption for holders of Pakistani diplomatic passports after Naqvi formally requested the facility during his visit. The announcement marked a significant diplomatic development between the two countries.
During their meeting, both ministers discussed internal security cooperation and coordinated measures to curb illegal immigration. Naqvi briefed his counterpart on Pakistan’s efforts to prevent unlawful migration, emphasizing stricter monitoring at airports and sea routes to curb illegal departures.
Subsequently, Piantedosi praised the Pakistani Interior Ministry’s strategy to combat illegal immigration. He formally confirmed the allocation of 10,500 work visas for skilled Pakistani workers and endorsed closer collaboration on migration management.
Security cooperation and legal migration in focus
Furthermore, the talks covered joint efforts against narcotics trafficking, human smuggling and terrorism. Both sides acknowledged the importance of sustained cooperation to dismantle transnational criminal networks.
Piantedosi commended Pakistani institutions for their performance in tackling illegal immigration, drug trafficking and human smuggling, calling their achievements noteworthy. Moreover, he expressed Italy’s readiness to expand cooperation in promoting safe and legal migration pathways.
The meeting was attended by Pakistan’s Ambassador to Italy Ali Javed, FIA Director General Dr Usman Anwar, Punjab Safe City Authority Managing Director Ahsan Younas, and senior police officers Abid Khan and Sohail Chaudhry. Punjab police officials also presented the Police Khidmat Marakaz Global initiative, which received strong appreciation from Italian authorities.
