News Desk
President Asif Ali Zardari, Tuesday, expressed confidence that the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, signed by Pakistan, Turkiye and Saudi Arabia on 7 August 2026, would strengthen regional peace and stability through defensive cooperation guided by the principles of the UN Charter and international law.
Lieutenant General (Rtd.) Nauman Mahmood, the first Secretary General pursuant to Makkah Joint Defence Agreement called on the president at Aiwan-e-Sadr. He will lead the General Secretariat of the Alliance being established at Riyadh. Minister for Interior and Narcotics Control Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi was also present during the meeting, President Secretariat Media Wing said in a press release. The president underscored that the Accord is purely defensive in nature and not directed against any country; nor it constituted the formation of a new bloc. He emphasised that Pakistan remained committed to the peaceful resolution of conflicts and enhanced regional and multilateral cooperation to address emerging challenges.
PM calls for more legal migration pathways for Pakistani workers: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, Tuesday, underscored the importance Pakistan attaches to its partnership with the European Union and reaffirmed its commitment to further strengthening cooperation across all pillars of the Pak-EU Strategic Engagement Plan.
He expressed these views during a meeting with European Union Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration Magnus Brunner who called on him.
The meeting focused on strengthening Pakistan-EU cooperation in the areas of migration and mobility, one of the eight pillars of the Pakistan-EU Strategic Engagement Plan 2019, PM Office Media Wing said in a press release.
Welcoming Commissioner Brunner on his first visit to Pakistan, the prime minister highlighted Pakistan’s sustained efforts to curb irregular migration and combat migrant smuggling and human trafficking through legislative reforms, institutional strengthening, effective enforcement, and international cooperation.
He emphasized that efforts to address irregular migration should be complemented by practical opportunities for safe, orderly, and regular migration.
He noted that expanding legal pathways for Pakistani skilled workers and professionals would help meet the labour-market needs of European countries while reducing the vulnerability of prospective migrants to smuggling networks.
Commissioner Brunner appreciated the measures taken and the cooperation extended by the Government of Pakistan.
He expressed confidence that these efforts would contribute positively to the expansion of legal migration pathways and the promotion of mutually beneficial labour mobility between Pakistan and the European Union.