F.P. Report
ISLAMABAD: The repatriation of illegal foreign nationals from Pakistan border crossings to their countries is continued as only three days are left for the undocumented aliens to leave Pakistan on Saturday .
The Government of Pakistan has asked all undocumented foreign nationals, including Afghans to leave Pakistan by October 31, otherwise, law enforcement agencies will take action as per the law of the land.
Meanwhile, the voluntary repatriation of Afghan families residing illegally in Pakistan is also continued. On October 27, as many as 5,046 Afghan nationals including 1,241 males, 1,052 women, and 2,753 children, left for their country. 153 cars were used in the repatriation process of 310 Afghan families.
The repatriation is being done on a daily basis. Up until now, 81,974 Afghan refugees have been repatriated. All four provinces are taking steps to expel undocumented foreign nationals from the country. To speed up the evacuation of undocumented foreigners to Afghanistan and Iran, the Balochistan government is opening three more crossing points i.e. Qila Saifullah, Qameruddin Karez and Baracha Noor Wahab in Chagai district to help Afghan and Iranian Baloch immigrants to meet the deadline of Oct 31. In the context of the approaching deadline, preparations for the evacuation of illegal foreigners in the province of Punjab have entered the decisive stages.
All the relevant institutions are working together to perform the service. The process of scanning people in various communities and mapping of foreigners has entered the final stages of completion. Teams comprising officials from police and relevant departments seem busy checking every nook and corner of the province to locate people residing without proper documents. These teams have been provided security by Pakistan Rangers and other forces. Those people who do not have the necessary documents for residence in Pakistan are being asked to leave the country by October 31.
The government has taken the necessary steps to expel these aliens. In the first stage, action will be taken against the illegal immigrants. The government will deal very strictly with those who have obtained fake documents. These people will be kept in ‘holding centres’ and temporary camps set up in various districts. The detainees will be treated with full respect.
They will be provided residence, food, and medical facilities at these centres. There will be separate lodges for men and women. Registration desk for such person is set up in each camp where the FIA staff will be engaged through special software developed by NADRA This modern software is linked to Border Management System. Other necessary steps are being taken to evacuate illegal foreigners from these camps to border crossing points.
The completion of this national mission will have a very positive impact on the country’s economy, national unity, and law and order situation. As many as 33,555 unregistered people crossed into Afghanistan from Pakistan since October 1 to 23, 2023.
According to official data, due to lacking proper documentation, illegal Afghan families including 2,772 families, consisting of 8,309 men, 5,457 women, and 19,789 children moved to Torkham Border. It is worth mentioning here that the government of Pakistan has instructed all unregistered Afghan families to return to Afghanistan by October 31, 2023 and after the deadline strictly action will be taken against them. The city administration on Saturday said that around 1.25 lac Afghan nationals still illegally staying in Karachi. Commissioner Karachi Saleem Rajput said that those illegally settled in city would be legally sent back to their countries if they failed to leave by October 31.
He said 18,000 illegal immigrants had been sent back from the metropolis so far. “A place in the city will be declared holding point and deputy commissioners and security institutions will retain illegal immigrants at the holding point. He said illegal immigrants will be handed over to the security officials at Jacobabad and Chaman border. “The convoy of five buses will be sent from Karachi under security,” Rajput said. “People illegally staying, will not be allowed in the country, after November 01st,” he reiterated. The city’s police have been activated for repatriation of illegally staying immigrants.
On the instructions of the Commissioner Karachi, mosques in Afghan settlements and concerned areas announcing repatriation of illegal immigrants on loudspeakers. Saddar Police in District South has launched a campaign informing citizens to avoid offering houses, flats and shops to people illegally staying in city warning that “it is a legal offence”. “A crackdown will be initiated against illegal foreign immigrants from November 01,” the police warned.
