Achakzai specified that the measures against illegal immigrants would be carried out in accordance with local and United Nations laws….reports Asian Lite News
Balochistan’s Interim Minister for Information Jan Achakzai has said that not only Afghans but all undocumented foreigners will be evicted from Pakistan before November 1, Dawn reported.
This includes Iranian and other foreign individuals who are staying in Pakistan without proper documents. They will be repatriated to their respective nations before November 1.
During a press conference held on Wednesday, he stated, “This is the final decision regarding the deportation of all illegal foreign nationals. We aim to ensure their honourable return to their home countries by October 31.”
Achakzai noted that there are approximately 1.3 million illegal Afghan nationals residing throughout the country, with about 300,000 illegal Afghan nationals and other foreign individuals living in Quetta, the majority of whom are Afghan refugees.
In response to a question, he noted that a significant number of Afghan refugees have voluntarily returned to Afghanistan through the UNHCR program, crossing via the Chaman border. The Balochistan Information Minister mentioned that approximately 1,000 Afghan families have chosen to return to Afghanistan from Balochistan voluntarily, as per Dawn.
“Pakistan has hosted over five million Afghans during the last 40 years and provided all facilities and comfort despite facing financial and other issues,” he said.
He said, “We are sending only those refugees who were living without required legal documents while the refugees registered with UNHCR and having Nadra identification cards will stay in Pakistan till further order.”
He further emphasised that the deadline for repatriation is November 1, and beyond that date, legal actions will be taken against those who do not avail themselves of the deadline and will be deported to their respective countries.
Achakzai specified that the measures against illegal immigrants would be carried out in accordance with local and United Nations laws.
Meanwhile, the Sindh government has decided to set up ‘housing facilities’ in Karachi and Sukkur to lodge illegal Afghan immigrants before their deportation, Dawn reported.
Sources told Dawn that a meeting held at the Sindh home department on Thursday decided to form a high-level committee comprising officials of civil and military representatives to oversee the repatriation of illegal Afghan refugees from Sindh.
As per sources, it was decided that data on illegal immigrants would be collected by the Special Branch of the Sindh Police and intelligence agencies would assist the law enforcers in this exercise. (ANI)
