Athens, April 12 (NationPress) A report reveals that Pakistani nationals, in conjunction with local players, are entrenched in the operational frameworks of human smuggling and document forgery networks across Europe.

Authorities in Greece have begun examining the records of Pakistani nationals who arrived on work visas over the last two years. This follows the arrest of five Pakistani individuals in March for running a scheme involving fraudulent work visas linked to non-existent companies and counterfeit government documentation, as stated in the European Times.

In March 2026, the Greek police in Crete successfully dismantled a sophisticated criminal organization with a distinct hierarchy. At the forefront were five individuals based in Crete, while the second tier comprised seven Pakistani nationals operating internationally, preying on vulnerable populations in Pakistan. They enticed potential workers with promises of legitimate jobs and residency permits in Greece, charging them hefty fees to cover their travel, leading to significant debt owed to the network. A total of 21 arrests were made, including five from Pakistan.

This incident is part of a broader trend. In July 2025, Europol assisted Greek, German, and US law enforcement in dismantling a migrant smuggling operation based in Athens, predominantly comprising Pakistani, Iranian, and Turkish nationals. The evidence points to a consistent pattern: Pakistani nationals are collaborating with local stakeholders, firmly integrated into the networks facilitating human trafficking and document forgery throughout Southern and Central Europe.

According to Frontex statistics, Pakistan ranks fifth among nations contributing to illegal migration into Europe. In 2024, nearly 5,000 attempts by Pakistani nationals to cross into Europe illegally were recorded. Eurostat data indicates that around 2.2 million Pakistani nationals reside in Europe, with only approximately 398,000 holding legal residency.

Italy hosts the largest diaspora of Pakistani nationals outside the UK, with roughly 200,000 migrants, followed by Germany with 140,000, and Greece with an estimated 60,000. Tragically, the perilous journey has claimed the lives of at least 83 Pakistani nationals in Mediterranean crossing incidents in 2025 alone.

Pakistan stands as a prominent source of irregular migration to Europe, with its citizens involved in transnational criminal syndicates across the continent. The European Union (EU) has recently implemented its most comprehensive revamp of return and repatriation policies in nearly two decades. Islamabad's diplomatic efforts appear to be a reactive measure aimed at mitigating damage, attempting to shift the narrative of a profound systemic failure into a manageable policy discussion, according to European Times.

During the Warsaw conference, Interior Ministers from Poland, Estonia, Latvia, Finland, Lithuania, and Pakistan convened to address strategies to combat illegal immigration networks and discussed plans to dismantle cross-border human trafficking operations. They agreed to consider legal employment options for Pakistani workers.

Poland's involvement is noteworthy, having enacted legislation that suspends the right of migrants crossing its border with Belarus to seek asylum—a response to a documented increase in Pakistani nationals using this route as a clandestine entry point into the EU. Polish officials have noted a significant rise in illegal crossings by Pakistani nationals through the Belarusian border in recent years, as outlined in the report.

European countries are actively seeking lawful methods to address illegal migration, believing that established channels will help curtail irregular flows. However, the situation is complex, as illegal pathways persist in regions where legal migration avenues have been introduced without effective enforcement. Given the deeply rooted smuggling networks in Pakistan and the substantial profits involved, there is little indication that a few thousand work visas will effectively dismantle the illegal industry.