ISLAMABAD:

Pakistan and Italy have discussed advancing the implementation of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on legal labour mobility, alongside cooperation in education, skills development and youth programmes, during a meeting between Chairman Prime Minister’s Youth Programme Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan and Italian Ambassador Marlena Armellini.

According to a statement issued on Thursday, the meeting reviewed bilateral relations with emphasis on strengthening cooperation in trade, investment and youth development, and on translating engagement into a structured and long-term partnership.

Economic engagement featured in the discussions, including the role of Italian companies operating in Pakistan, the Joint Economic Commission meetings and the Pakistan-Italy Business Forum as platforms for expanding commercial cooperation.

On education, Mashhood described Italy as an important destination for Pakistani students and stressed the need to expand cooperation in higher education and research. He referred to the presence of Pakistani students in Italian institutions and their participation in Erasmus Mundus scholarships, and underscored the importance of academic exchanges, joint research initiatives and stronger institutional linkages.

Legal labour mobility remained a key focus. Mashhood said Pakistan’s young and skilled workforce represented a potential asset for Italian industries and emphasised the effective implementation of the labour mobility MoU to ensure regulated and mutually beneficial movement. The meeting also discussed simplifying and streamlining visa processes for workers and students, with emphasis on transparency, merit-based systems and preventing exploitation by unauthorised agents.