Rome, January 23, 2026: Pakistan’s Ambassador to Italy, Mr. Ali Javed, and the Police Chief of the Italian Republic, Prefect Vittorio Pisani, held a comprehensive review meeting on bilateral police and consular cooperation at the Italian Police Headquarters in Rome.
The Italian side was represented by senior officials including Mr. Claudio Galzerano, Central Director for Immigration and Border Police, and Mr. Stefano Carvelli, Italy’s Interpol Representative, along with other officials. From the Embassy of Pakistan, Deputy Head of Mission Mr. Naveed Shahzad and Second Secretary Mr. Muhsin Hasan participated, while Mr. Asmatullah Junejo, FIA Link Officer, and Mr. Waqar Ali Khan, Community Welfare Attaché, joined from the Consulate General of Pakistan in Milan.
Marked by sentiments of mutual trust, the 45-minute interaction reviewed the overall trajectory of bilateral police and consular cooperation. Both sides expressed satisfaction over the successful holding of Bilateral Consular Consultations and the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding on Migration and Labour Mobility in Islamabad on February 1, 2025, and May 7, 2025, respectively. The meeting also noted the positive outcomes of the first Joint Working Group (JWG) meeting held in Rome on September 15, 2025, under the MoU.
Ambassador Ali Javed welcomed the Italian Police Chief’s proposal to broaden counter-terrorism cooperation and to further deepen and diversify collaboration between the police forces of the two countries through exchange of visits, technical cooperation, and training programs.
Referring to Italy’s recently announced labour quotas for Pakistan — 2,000 seasonal and 1,500 non-seasonal workers annually for the next three years — Prefect Pisani expressed support for organizing the second JWG meeting, scheduled to be held in Islamabad in April 2026.
Both sides welcomed the finalization of draft texts for the treaties on Extradition and Mutual Legal Assistance and agreed to expedite progress on the under-consideration agreement for the Transfer of Prisoners. The status of international cooperation through Interpol, pending cases, and the welfare and legal status of Pakistani nationals detained in Italy were also discussed.
Highlighting the strong educational linkages, Ambassador Ali Javed noted that around 4,000 Pakistani students are currently pursuing higher education in Italy and shared a list of 2,000 students awaiting visa appointments. The Italian Police Chief appreciated the positive and constructive role of the Pakistani community in Italy and reiterated continued support for streamlining the student visa process.
It was noted that the two dignitaries had previously met in January 2024. Pakistan and Italy signed a Dual Citizenship Agreement in 1981. Italy is Pakistan’s sixth-largest trading partner and export destination, while the Pakistani community in Italy — numbering around 300,000 — is the largest in continental Europe, excluding the United Kingdom.
