Over 25,000 Pakistanis applied for European asylum between Oct 2023-24

Pakistanis lodged 28000 applications for international protection in the European Union Plus countries between October 2023 and October this year, the EU’s Agency for Asylum (EUAA) said in a Pakistan-specific report released on Wednesday.

In the past year, 28000 Pakistanis applied for asylum in European countries marking a notable decrease in applications compared to the peak in October last year when over 3400 applications were lodged. This year, the number of asylum applications dropped to 1900 in October.

Italy received the highest number of asylum applications from Pakistanis, followed by France, Greece, and Germany. EU Plus countries processed around 20000 applications with only 12% of applicants being granted refugee status or subsidiary protection. By the end of October, nearly 34000 applications remained pending.

The report also highlights Pakistan’s ongoing political and security challenges, including forced labor, human trafficking, and modern slavery. With around 2.4 million people affected by forced labor or marriage, Pakistan ranks among the highest in the region for vulnerability to modern slavery. The country’s strategic location on major trafficking routes, combined with widespread corruption and state complicity in trafficking crimes has hindered efforts to address these issues.

Another major concern is bonded labor, which affects an estimated 3 to 4.5 million people in Pakistan. This debt-bondage system traps workers in loans with impossible repayment terms, further exploiting the vulnerable.

Violence has intensified in regions like Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, with insurgent groups such as the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) increasing their activities. The Islamic State in Khorasan Province (ISKP) has also stepped up its efforts, using advanced tools like artificial intelligence to spread its propaganda.