Pact with EU on hold

Pakistan has put the signing of 're-admission agreement' with the European Union (EU) on hold that would allow the European countries to deport illegal Pakistanis, in bulk, official sources told Business Recorder.
The decision was taken at a recent Cabinet meeting after the Overseas Pakistani Division refused to be a part of this controversial agreement with the EU, sources said. Interestingly, the Cabinet in its meeting on February 14 this year had allowed Interior Ministry to sign the re-admission agreement with the EU, and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz had announced this decision at a press conference at the Prime Minister House.
"Overseas Pakistan Division had not been consulted on this important issue so that the approval could be given to start negotiations only," sources quoted the Cabinet as taking a U-turn. The EU had promised that it would give more market access to Pakistani goods in European countries, besides providing money for rehabilitation of those millions of illegal Pakistanis who are still in Europe.
Sources said that Interior Ministry has been asked to have opinion of Overseas Pakistanis Division and make it clear to the EU that the re-admission agreement would require formal approval of the Cabinet.
According to official documents, Foreign Affairs Ministry expressed its willingness to sign the agreement, but the EU, instead of giving any suitable date, proposed some changes in the agreed draft.
The EU Commission was asked to visit Islamabad in the last week of June 2007, but they insisted on holding a meeting on May 25, availing their presence in Islamabad in connection with another meeting of Joint Economic Commission (JEC).
An inter-ministerial meeting was held in the Ministry of Interior on May 24 to evolve a joint strategy for negotiations wherein it was pointed out that the Interior Ministry had no mandate to re-open a settled issue as the Cabinet has already approved the draft agreement for signing.
Sources said that this viewpoint was conveyed to the visiting EU delegation. They added that Interior Ministry tried to obtain Prime Minister's approval for re-opening negotiations with the EU without prior approval of the Cabinet, but the Prime Minister Secretariat sent the summary back, with the comment that the case may be placed before the Cabinet for approval. The Cabinet put the approval of the proposal on hold until Overseas Pakistanis Division clears it for signing.