ISLAMABAD: The United Nations (UN) in Pakistan, with support from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), has launched the Pakistan United Nations Network on Migration (UNNM) at a high-level ceremony in Islamabad.
The initiative aims to strengthen migration governance, tackle human trafficking and migrant smuggling, and align Pakistan’s efforts with international frameworks, including the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM) and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
The event, hosted by UN Resident Coordinator Mohamed Yahya, also introduced Pakistan’s first Migration Multi-Partner Trust Fund (MMPTF) programme, “Strengthening Response to Combat Trafficking in Persons (TIP) and Smuggling of Migrants (SOM) in Pakistan.” Jointly implemented by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the programme will work with the Government of Pakistan, civil society, media and the private sector.
The MMPTF is the only pooled funding mechanism dedicated to migration and will boost national capacity to manage migration and combat trafficking. It supports a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach to addressing TIP and SOM.
As coordinator of the UN Network on Migration, the IOM will work closely with the UN Resident Coordinator, fostering partnerships across the UN system, promoting policy coherence, and integrating migration priorities into national development plans.
“The establishment of this network is a testament to our collective resolve to ensure migration is safe, orderly and regular,” said Mohamed Yahya. “It offers a platform to shift the narrative, amplify a unified voice, and foster innovation to address mobility challenges while protecting the rights of all people on the move.”
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The event featured a video message from Jonathan Prentice, Head of the UN Migration Network Secretariat, praising Pakistan’s leadership in global migration governance. A personal testimony by Moazzam Ali, a Pakistani migrant who returned voluntarily from Romania with IOM’s support, highlighted the importance of dignified migration pathways and reintegration opportunities.
A high-level panel on “Enhancing Whole-of-Government Migration Governance” included officials from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Interior, Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development, the National Commission for Human Rights, academia, civil society and international partners. The session was moderated by Dr Nasra M. Shah, Professor of Migration and Development at the Lahore School of Economics.
The launch concluded with a ceremony reaffirming the UN and Pakistan’s commitment to multi-stakeholder partnerships and stronger migration governance for a safer, sustainable future.
