KARACHI – A huge number of Pakistanis are seeking refuge abroad, especially in UK and parts of Europe, raising questions about migration trends, visa regulations, and challenges facing in the homeland.
A recent report revealed that Pakistanis emerged as largest group of political asylum seekers in UK, outpacing citizens from over 150 countries. The South Asian nation sits at top on list of 175 countries whose citizens applied for political asylum. Afghanistan follows in second place, with Iran taking third spot.
The report revealed that 11,000 Pakistanis submitted asylum applications in the past year alone, showsing sharp rise in requests from the country. Most number of these applicants initially entered the UK on valid visas, including student and work permits, before seeking political asylum.
According to the report, many Pakistani students and workers leveraged their time in the UK to file asylum claims, underlining a growing trend among the Pakistani diaspora.
British government announced major changes to asylum policies, reducing protections for refugees in move aimed at curbing irregular immigration.
The recent changes are said to be “largest overhaul of asylum policy in modern times”, and end of UK’s “golden ticket” for asylum seekers. Under the new rules, refugee status will drop from five years to just 30 months, be regularly reviewed, and asylum holders could be forced to return home once deemed safe. Those seeking long-term residency may have to wait 20 years.
Last year, more than 109,343 applications were filed, surpassing previous peaks as the changes will make UK less attractive to irregular migrants and facilitate removals.
Pakistanis Work Visa Holders to register on ‘Pak Soft Skills’ before traveling abroad
