ISLAMABAD, February 28: The European Union (EU) and Pakistan have jointly launched the Sustainable Reintegration of Returnees and Improved Migration Management (R&R Pakistan) project, aimed at supporting returning migrants and enhancing Pakistan’s migration policies.
The initiative, funded by the EU in collaboration with the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD), seeks to improve socio-economic reintegration, particularly for women and persons with disabilities. It will also focus on post-arrival assistance, the development of a gender-sensitive National Reintegration Policy, and raising awareness on safe migration practices while addressing the risks of irregular migration.
Speaking at the launch event, Dr. Arshad Mahmood, Secretary of the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development (MOPHRD), reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to reintegrating returning migrants into local economies. Meanwhile, Philipp Oliver Gross, Deputy Chief of Mission of the EU to Pakistan, emphasized the need for a balanced migration strategy—curbing illegal migration while ensuring effective reintegration for returnees.
Also Read: Parachinar Schools to Remain Closed in Protest Over Supply Shortages
The project builds on Pakistan’s existing migration management framework, leveraging institutions such as Migrant Resource Centres (MRCs) in Islamabad, Lahore, and Peshawar, and working with key stakeholders, including the Overseas Pakistanis Foundation, Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), and Technical Education and Vocational Training Authority (TEVTA) Punjab.
ICMPD’s Sedef Dearing highlighted the project’s human rights-centered approach, ensuring that vulnerable groups such as women, the elderly, and trafficking victims receive necessary support.
The initiative aligns with the EU-Pakistan Migration and Mobility Dialogue and the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum (2020), reinforcing Pakistan’s capacity to manage return migration while addressing broader regional migration challenges.
