On Friday 23rd January 2026, the Preventing Fraudulent Job Advertisements and Cyber Activity As A Facilitator Of Irregular Migration And Trafficking In Human Beings (FJA PAK) project, funded by the Norwegian Directorate for Immigration, held its 2nd National Project Steering Committee Meeting (NPSC) in Islamabad, Pakistan, in collaboration with the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).
The gathering brought together relevant officials, serving as the primary national-level governance mechanism to support the project’s work plan. The NPSC was established at the inception of the project, to ensure efficient coordination and ownership of project outcomes among Pakistani national authorities.
Running from January 2025 to December 2026, the project supports Pakistan’s efforts to promote safe and legal migration by strengthening institutional capacities, improving inter-agency cooperation, and enhancing public awareness. In collaboration with key national partners including the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development {MOPHRD), Bureau of Emigration & Overseas Employment (BEOE), Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), and Migrant Recourse Centres (MRCs), FJA-PAK has conducted in-depth research, and is building technical capacity, and delivering targeted awareness campaigns to protect vulnerable populations from exploitation linked to online job scams and digital misinformation.
The meeting focused on key achievements of the project in the first year and highlighted the tangible progress made in research, capacity building, inter-agency coordination, and public awareness. The results presented were a direct reflection of the interest, support, and joint efforts of aforementioned partners engaged in this initiative.
Joint Secretary (FIA/Visa), Mr. Asim Ayub, Ministry of Interior and Narcotics Control (MoI) stated the importance of the project for empowering Pakistan’s citizens and national institutions in the fight against irregular migration:
“Let us continue to work together to ensure that our citizens are protected from exploitation and are able to pursue safe, legal, and dignified migration opportunities.”
Fraudulent job advertisements, particularly in the digital space, have become a critical risk factor in the migration context. These deceptive practices not only result in financial losses for jobseekers, but increasingly serve as gateways to irregular migration, exposing individuals to exploitation, trafficking in human beings, and smuggling of migrants. They undermine legitimate recruitment systems and erode public trust in overseas employment processes.
By establishing referral mechanisms, strengthening institutional capacities, enhancing public awareness through MRCs, and improving the monitoring of online recruitment fraud, the project is a landmark example of what can be accomplished through collaboration.
Senior Advisor & Officer In-Charge, Ms. Raana Rahim iterated that ICMPD will continue to strengthen relationships with project stakeholders and counterparts
“At ICMPD, we firmly believe that addressing irregular migration and trafficking requires strong partnerships and sustained dialogue… I would like to once again thank the Government of Norway for its continued trust and support, and all national partners for their commitment and collaboration.”
The Preventing Fraudulent Job Advertisements and Cyber Activity as a Facilitator of Irregular Migration and Trafficking in Human Beings in Pakistan (FJA-PAK) project, funded by the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI) and implemented by the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD), aims to combat fraudulent online recruitment and cyber activities that contribute to irregular migration and human trafficking.
