Islamabad, December 19, 2024: Data from the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA) reveals that 28,000 Pakistani nationals applied for international protection in the EU+ countries between October 2023 and October 2024.
The statistics indicate a peak in asylum applications in October 2023, with 3,400 submissions. Since then, the numbers have declined steadily, reaching 1,900 applications in October 2024.
Among preferred destinations, Italy emerged as the most favored choice for Pakistani asylum seekers, followed by France, Greece, and Germany.
During this period, EU+ countries issued approximately 20,000 first-instance decisions on Pakistani applications, with only 12% resulting in grants of refugee status or subsidiary protection. As of the end of October 2024, nearly 34,000 applications from Pakistani nationals were still pending at the first-instance stage.
The EUAA data, however, does not account for Pakistanis using illegal human smuggling networks to enter Europe. These perilous journeys often result in tragedies, underscoring the risks involved.
Last week’s Greek boat disaster highlighted the grim reality of illegal migration. Three boats carrying migrants from various countries, including Pakistan, capsized near Greece, killing at least 40 Pakistanis. According to Pakistan’s Embassy in Greece, the bodies of 35 Pakistanis remain missing with slim chances of survival, while five bodies have been recovered.
This incident is a stark reminder of last year’s shipwreck near Italy, where an overloaded boat sank in stormy seas off southern Calabria, claiming the lives of at least 59 migrants, including 28 Pakistanis.
The recurring tragedies emphasize the urgent need for safer migration routes and stronger measures to combat illegal human smuggling.
