Over 20,000 Pakistanis have applied for asylum in the Europe during the last one year, it is learnt.
According to the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA) data, as many as 28,000 Pakistani nationals sought international protection in the EU+ between October 2023 and October 2024.
The statistics said asylum applications peaked in October 2023 as the number reached around 3,400. The stats since then have reflected a downward trajectory to stand at 1,900 applications in October this year.
It is learnt with regards to the country preference by Pakistanis that Italy has emerged as the most favoured choice for asylum seekers followed by France, Greece and Germany.
During the said period, the EU+ countries had issued roughly 20,000 decisions at first instance on applications of Pakistanis. About merely 12 per cent were granted refugee status or subsidiary protection.
By the end of this October, the number of applications were pending at first instance stood at about 34,000.
The EU’s statistics are to be taken separately as illegal human smuggling channels are also used by Pakistanis to get to the Europe.
