EU to sign pact on illegal immigrants with Pakistan
By IANSTuesday, February 23, 2010
BRUSSELS - The European Union (EU) Foreign Affairs Council has decided to forward to the European Parliament, for its consent, a draft decision aimed at concluding an agreement with Pakistan on the readmission of people residing without authorisation in the EU.
The decision was made Monday after a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels, EuAsiaNews reported Tuesday.
The EU-Pakistan readmission agreement was signed in Brussels Oct 26, 2009.
According to Brussels-based political analyst Shada Islam, the agreement will open up the way for an easier repatriation process for Pakistanis found living illegally in Europe but she underlined that no mass expulsion of illegal Pakistanis from Europe was expected, said EuAsiaNews.
Shada described the deal as “an important step forward in relations between the two sides”.
