In a significant effort to promote safe and regular migration, the Migrant Resource Centre (MRC) collaborated with the Isaar Welfare Society to organize an awareness session in District Gujrat, Tehsil Jalalpur Jattan. The session was attended by a large number of local residents, including prominent figures such as Irfan Mirza, President of the Isaar Welfare Society, and Naveed Butt, Chairman. Inspector Badr Bashir from the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) represented the agency and shared crucial guidance during the session.
The primary objective of the session was to raise awareness about the importance of safe migration for employment, education, or residency abroad, while highlighting the risks associated with irregular migration. MRC Counsellor Maria Sohail emphasized the importance of opting for regular (legal) migration pathways, citing research findings that most people choose to migrate for a better future, but often lack authentic information, leading them to irregular migration.
The session also stressed the importance of contacting government-registered and licensed recruitment agencies or the Overseas Employment Corporation (OEC), established by the Government of Pakistan. This is particularly relevant in the context of recent incidents of human trafficking and fake visa factories in the region, as reported in Gujranwala. The MRC Counsellor explained that the MRC conducts similar awareness sessions across various districts of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to provide free information about safe and regular migration.
Inspector Badr Bashir from the FIA appreciated the efforts of the MRC and encouraged youth to seek accurate information about legal migration from the MRC and relevant government institutions to make safe and lawful migration decisions.
About MRC Pakistan
The Migrant Resource Centre was established in 2016 under the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis & Human Resource Development in Peshawar and Islamabad, and under the Department of Labour & Human Resources, Government of Punjab, in Lahore. The MRC operates as a subsidiary of the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) and is funded by the European Union. It provides free information and guidance to individuals aspiring to migrate abroad, enabling them to make better and safer decisions. Its primary services include personal consultations, pre-departure informational sessions, and awareness programs through educational and technical institutes.
Disclaimer/Note:
This informational material has been prepared by the Migrant Resource Centre. The European Commission accepts no responsibility for the use of the information contained herein.
