ISLAMABAD: Matteo Piantedosi has announced that Italy will issue 10,500 work visas for Pakistan’s skilled labour force to promote legal migration pathways.

The announcement was made during a meeting in Rome with Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, where both sides discussed bilateral cooperation on migration and security matters.

Piantedosi also confirmed that Italy would extend visa-free entry to holders of Pakistani diplomatic passports, following a formal request from Naqvi and prior diplomatic engagements on the issue.

During the talks, Naqvi briefed his counterpart on Pakistan’s intensified crackdown against illegal immigration networks, stating that stricter monitoring at airports and maritime borders had led to a marked decline in unlawful departures.

The Italian minister praised Pakistan’s recent measures and commended its institutions for their efforts in combating human smuggling, drug trafficking and irregular migration.

Both countries reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening cooperation in security, counter-narcotics and law enforcement. They agreed to enhance coordination against transnational criminal networks while expanding avenues for safe and legal migration.

The meeting was described as constructive and forward-looking, highlighting a shared resolve to curb illegal immigration while promoting regulated mobility.

Joint action with Greece

Separately, Naqvi met Athanasios Plevris, Greece’s Minister for Migration and Asylum, where the two sides agreed to deepen collaboration against illegal immigration and human smuggling.

The ministers decided to undertake joint measures to dismantle unlawful migration networks and improve coordination between relevant institutions.

In a key development, Pakistan and Greece agreed to finalise a long-pending bilateral migration cooperation agreement that has remained under discussion for the past two years. It was also decided to establish a Joint Working Group to operationalise future cooperation frameworks.

Naqvi welcomed Greece’s support in strengthening the professional capacity of Pakistan’s police and paramilitary forces, particularly in technology-driven operations. He stressed that expanding legal migration pathways was crucial to discouraging illegal routes.

Reiterating Pakistan’s zero-tolerance policy against human smuggling and illegal immigration, he said the government remained committed to coordinated international efforts in this regard.

The Greek minister reaffirmed his country’s readiness to collaborate with Pakistan at all levels to promote safe and legal migration.