ISLAMABAD: Senate Chairman Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani on Tuesday called for strengthening parliament’s role in effective migration governance, saying safe, orderly and regular migration must be ensured through effective legislative and institutional measures.
Addressing the firstever Parliamentary Dialogue on Migration Governance in Pakistan, Senate Chairman Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani said parliamentary coordination must be made more effective to protect the rights and interests of migrants.
He stressed the need to strengthen evidencebased legislation and continuity of institutional dia-logue.
‘Protection of the rights of Pakistani workers and promotion of legal pathways for migration is essential,’ Mr Gilani said.
He said Pakistanis abroad must be protected from racism, Islamophobia and other forms of discrimination.
Noting that around seven million overseas Pakistanis were playing a vital role in the national economy, the Senate chairman said remittances sent by them were extremely important for the economy.
‘It is the responsibility of the state to stand with its citizens in times of difficulty and need,’ he said, adding that protecting the rights of overseas Pakistanis was both a state responsibility and a national duty.
He said the Senate, asthe House of the Federation, was committed to playing its role in protecting the rights and interests of overseas Pakistanis.
Mr Gilani said special attention must be paid to the growing nexus between climate change and migration, adding that an effective strategy was needed to address climate impacts and reduce forced displacement.
He called for international climate finance, particularly in the form of grants.
Mr Gilani said strong coordination between parliamentary committees and relevant state institutions was essential for an effective migration governance system.
‘Migration governance can be made more effective through credible data,research and sustained dialogue,’ he said.
Terming migration governance an important national issue above political affiliations, Mr Gilani said the matter affects millions of families across the country and requires broad parliamentary consensus among political parties.
He called for continuing the parliamentary dialogue as a permanent parliamentary initiative and for translating its recommendations into effective legislation and policy measures.
‘Concrete steps must be taken to ensure protection, dignity, rights and welfare of Pakistani migrants,’ he said, adding that the dialogue on migration governance must be turned into a sustainable and effective process.