Europe, US see massive increase in Pakistani asylum seekers

Over 135,000 Pakistanis have sought political asylum in Europe and the United States over the past two years.

This disclosure was recently made before the Senate Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis.

The committee, chaired by Senator Zeeshan Khanzada, was informed that 125,000 asylum applications were filed in various European states, while over 10,000 were submitted in the US, highlighting a sharp increase in migration driven by political and economic pressures.

In response to this trend, the federal government put in place strict policies aimed at curbing illegal migration and discouraging asylum seekers. Officials have started revoking the passports of deported citizens, blocking their reissuance, and, in several cases, initiating criminal cases under the relevant law.

This policy was discussed in a high-level meeting chaired by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, attended by senior officials from the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), the Directorate of Passports, and the Ministry of Interior. The strategy, officials said, is designed to improve Pakistan’s international reputation, which has suffered due to the growing number of nationals attempting unauthorized or fraudulent entry into other countries.

The FIA disclosed that over 52,000 Pakistanis were deported during the past two years, with 34,000 sent back from Iran—many of whom had attempted to cross the border on foot. Saudi Arabia deported approximately 5,000 Pakistanis on charges of begging and has since reduced its work visa quotas for Pakistanis while tightening eligibility screening.

Officials from the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis also highlighted a shift in the approach of some countries, which are now repatriating undocumented Pakistani migrants directly under the Passport Act, bypassing conventional legal processes.

In response, Pakistan has intensified its crackdown, with deportees facing blacklisting, travel restrictions, and, in some cases, investigations for alleged links to human trafficking networks.

Despite these challenges, the committee was told that more than 10.3 million Pakistani professionals and skilled workers are currently based abroad, contributing vital remittances to the country’s economy.