Islamabad, 21 June 2025 (TW) — In a significant development in global migration governance, Pakistan hosted the Budapest Process Thematic Meeting on Legal Pathways for Migration in Islamabad. The high-level meeting marked the first such gathering in Pakistan in over a decade and brought together more than 65 delegates, including officials and experts from 28 states and international organisations, under the Budapest Process framework.

Convened by the Thematic Working Group Co-Chair Pakistan, the meeting aimed to promote safe, orderly, and rights-based labour migration, especially from Silk Routes countries to various destination states. The event produced concrete, action-oriented recommendations aimed at strengthening legal migration frameworks and advancing global cooperation on labour mobility.

Federal Minister for Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development (MOPHRD), Mr. Chaudhry Salik Hussain, inaugurated the event. In his keynote remarks, he highlighted the critical importance of expanding legal pathways for migration amid rising global labour demands. “Pakistan has long recognized the value of labour mobility not only for our economy but also for the dignity, development, and well-being of our people,” he said. The minister underscored that overseas Pakistanis are a key pillar of national resilience and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to safe and well-governed migration systems.

Representing Hungary, Ms. Dora Gunsberger, the Co-Chair of the Budapest Process Dialogue, praised the role of member states in advancing collaborative frameworks. “The Budapest Process meetings, particularly this thematic one, are vital for exchanging best practices. We especially acknowledge the efforts of Migrant Resource Centres in supporting informed and secure migration,” she said.

Mr. Phillip Gross, Deputy Head of Mission of the European Union Delegation to Pakistan, expressed the EU’s support for initiatives aimed at strengthening legal pathways. “The discussions here in Islamabad are pivotal to furthering the commitments made in the 2024 Ministerial Declaration. They reflect our shared vision for well-governed, mutually beneficial migration between Europe and Silk Routes countries,” he noted.

The Budapest Process is one of the world’s longest-standing intergovernmental dialogues on migration, serving more than 50 governments and 10 international organisations. The Islamabad meeting aligned directly with Priority Goal 2 of the Ministerial Declaration and Call for Action (2025–2030), adopted at the 7th Budapest Process Ministerial Conference in Hungary in November 2024. This priority aims to strengthen policies and pathways for legal migration and mobility, seen as the strategic foundation for upcoming initiatives.

Over the course of two days, delegates engaged in thematic sessions focusing on the opportunities and challenges in expanding legal migration routes. The meeting provided a platform for discussions on regional and bilateral initiatives, and ways to enhance coordination between countries of origin, transit, and destination.

Delegates also gained firsthand insights into Pakistan’s evolving legal migration architecture. Visits were arranged to key institutions including the Bureau of Emigration and Overseas Employment (BEOE), the Overseas Employment Corporation (OEC), and the National University of Technology (NUTECH). These interactions showcased Pakistan’s ethical recruitment policies, pre-departure training programmes, and skill development systems aligned with global labour market needs.

With over 11 million overseas workers and remittances totaling $34.9 billion between July 2024 and May 2025 (projected to surpass $38 billion by the end of FY25), Pakistan presented itself as a leading labour-sending country with robust institutional mechanisms. The government highlighted its efforts in implementing ethical recruitment and preparing skilled workers to meet international standards through both technical and soft skills training.

The meeting also underscored Pakistan’s broader commitment to a holistic migration policy that includes international protection and migrant integration—areas of growing importance as the country serves as a source, transit, and destination for migrants.

Ms. Marija Raus, Head of Region Silk Routes and Head of the Budapest Process Secretariat at ICMPD, lauded the significance of the meeting. “The deliberations in Islamabad generated valuable ideas that will feed into future activities on legal migration. We aim to make such engagements a tradition, deepening cooperation through meetings hosted directly in Silk Routes countries,” she said.

In his closing remarks, Mr. Nadeem Aslam Chaudhary, Federal Secretary of MOPHRD, reinforced Pakistan’s resolve to remain at the forefront of global migration dialogue. “The progress we’ve shared today demonstrates what’s possible when nations unite behind a shared vision. Pakistan stands ready as both a committed partner and an innovator in migration governance,” he concluded. He expressed confidence that the outcomes of the meeting would translate into meaningful action, benefitting migrants and their communities across borders.

The successful hosting of the Budapest Process meeting not only reaffirmed Pakistan’s growing leadership in the migration discourse but also opened new avenues for regional and global cooperation, setting the stage for future engagements on migration policy, labour mobility, and international partnerships.