Refugee surge: EU migrant commissioner to visit Pakistan

ATHENS:

European Union’s (EU) migration commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos has said he is set to visit Pakistan soon to discuss plans to send back Pakistani migrants who have made their way to Europe.

Seeing off the first refugees leaving for Luxembourg on Wednesday, Avramopoulos welcomed the departure of the refugees from Greece under the relocation scheme to ease pressure on countries bearing the brunt of Europe’s migrant crisis. However, he warned that the EU was going to get tough on economic migrants who are simply seeking a better life rather than fleeing conflict.



At least 80 migrants, including many children, have died in the last week while trying to sail from Turkey to Lesbos and other Greek islands in rough weather. On Tuesday, four more migrants, including two children, drowned after their boat got into difficulty off Lesbos.

According to the UNHCR, as of October 2015, the top three nationalities of the over half a million Mediterranean Sea arrivals since the beginning of the year are Syrian (53%), Afghan (16%) and Eritrean (6%). The top ten nationalities of Mediterranean Sea arrivals also include Pakistan (2%).

Published in The Express Tribune, November 5^th, 2015.