Foreign Minister Brende is visiting Pakistan Thursday. He will discuss the fight against terrorism and the return of asylum seekers, according to the Foreign Ministry.
– An important aim of the visit is to express support for Pakistan’s struggle against terrorism and extremism, especially after the gruesome hospital attack in Quetta, Brende said in a statement.
He stressed that Pakistan’s policy is very important for stability in South Asia, and for the attainment of reconciliation and peace in neighboring Afghanistan.
Brende will also have talks on the return of what he describes as unfounded asylum seekers, as well as hold talks on aid, trade and the future direction of the World Trade Organization (WTO). WTO holds a ministerial meeting in Oslo in October.
Return of asylum seekers from Pakistan stalled towards the end of last year after the Pakistani authorities tightened the requirements to readmit its nationals who have sought asylum in Europe.
It has also led to Pakistani asylum seekers having been detained for several weeks, said Police Immigration Service (PU) to Aftenposten in February.
In Pakistan risks of returned asylum seekers being detained was still an issue, according to the International Organisation for Migration (IOM).
Source: NTB scanpix / Norway Today
