UK announces £8m for anti-illegal migration efforts with Pakistan
• Acknowledges Islamabad’s role in brokering US-Iran peace deal
• Both countries reaffirm commitment to economic cooperation and reforms
ISLAMABAD: United Kingdom Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Middle East, Afghanistan and Pakistan Hamish Falconer announced an additional £8 million to support joint UK-Pakistan efforts to combat crime and illegal migration and thanked Pakistan for its role in helping facilitate diplomatic efforts that led to US-Iran agreement.
According to a statement issued by the British High Commission, Falconer, during his visit to Islamabad, personally thanked Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar for Pakistan’s contribution to the diplomatic process.
During meetings with Pakistan’s senior leadership, Falconer announced an additional £8 million to strengthen joint efforts against crime and illegal migration. The funding will be used to enhance border management and visa systems and provide technical expertise to assist Pakistani law-enforcement agencies in disrupting human-smuggling and trafficking networks.
The minister announced additional funding aimed at strengthening cooperation between the UK and Pakistan to tackle illegal migration to Britain by addressing the factors that drive people to undertake irregular journeys.
The package will also support the return of individuals who have no legal right to remain in the UK and finance community-based initiatives in areas considered vulnerable to illegal migration. The programmes will focus on improving identity verification and information-sharing mechanisms, strengthening investigative capacity against smuggling networks and expanding prevention initiatives designed to reduce the risk of exploitation.
The two sides held a comprehensive exchange of views on regional developments, Pakistan’s macroeconomic outlook, ongoing structural reforms, fiscal priorities, institutional modernisation and opportunities to further strengthen Pakistan-United Kingdom economic cooperation.
The UK welcomed the agreement between the United States and Iran following intensive negotiations involving several partners, including Pakistan.
He reiterated the UK’s commitment to promoting stability in the Middle East and said Britain would continue working closely with partners, including Pakistan, to support efforts aimed at achieving lasting peace in the region.
Speaking on the occasion, Falconer said the US-Iran agreement represented an important opportunity for regional stability and thanked Pakistan for its role in supporting diplomatic efforts.
“The UK-Pakistan partnership is critical for safeguarding global, regional and British national security through close cooperation against terrorist threats, visa fraud and serious organised crime,” he said.
“We are taking this partnership to a new level through additional funding aimed at deterring illegal migration and addressing its causes at the source.”
He also expressed appreciation for Pakistan’s efforts in facilitating negotiations and said the UK and its international partners would continue working to support regional stability and ensure freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
Falconer witnessed a live demonstration of joint law-enforcement operations aimed at tackling illegal migration. Supported by the UK, the initiative enables Pakistani authorities to identify and stop non-genuine visa holders at airports, ensuring that only eligible travellers and students proceed to the UK.
Meanwhile, the UK Parliamentary Under-Secretary met Federal Minister for Finance Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb at the Finance Division to discuss various aspects of bilateral cooperation.
Both countries renewed their commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation.
Published in Dawn, June 17th, 2026
