ISLAMABAD (APP): Caretaker Interior Minister Sarfraz Bugti said on Sunday that the government was encouraging voluntarily repatriation of undocumented foreign nationals residing in the country until November 1.
“After the November 1 deadline, there will be no compromise on the issue of the expulsion of illegal immigrants,” the minister told a private news channel.
Divulging details of the repatriation plan, Bugti said after the deadline, the law will take its course and such individuals would be captured and housed in ‘holding centers’ established in all provinces, including Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan. From ‘holding centers’ within one to four weeks, their journey of repatriation would start.
In response to a query, he said the authorities have been clearly directed to keep all the inmates in a dignified manner, especially women, children, and the elderly, who would be treated “with respect” and provided with meals and medical facilities.
He clarified that during the first phase, those with no valid documents will be repatriated, and those who illegally procured Pakistan’s national identity cards or passports through the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) will also be expelled following the cancellation of their identity documents.
The interior minister said that the authority was working round the clock, and the government had done geo-fencing and identified areas where illegal immigrants were residing. In response to another query, Bugti said the ratio of voluntarily returning aliens varies from day to day, and so far, over 15,000 aliens have left the country.
The repatriation process of undocumented immigrants was expedited through the Torkham border, where illegal refugees were being seen returning to their homes in significant numbers with only two days left until the October 31 deadline, said the minister. Similarly, those with a Proof of Registration Card (PoR) would be repatriated at the end of the day. “Ultimately, they have to repatriate, as the situation in their country has improved and life returned to normalcy,” he remarked.
To another query, the minister said there will be no human crisis after this exercise, adding that with this practice, we want to make our house in order by improving law and order situation and effective border management.
“We are ensuring world practices in our country by deporting and repatriating aliens,” he maintained.
He said the government wants this process accomplished without anyone suffering.
In response to another question, Bugti said those being expelled from the country would only be allowed to carry their local currency, amounting to Rs50,000 per family. In the case of Afghan families, they can carry 50,000 Afghan Afghanis, he added.
Meanwile, The repatriation process of undocumented immigrants was expedited through Torkham border where illegal refugees are being seen returning to their homes in significant numbers with only two days left in the October 31st deadline.
The return process of undocumented Afghans through the Torkham border has been accelerated from where 33, 555 illegal immigrants went to their home country between October 1-23, 2023 in a safe and dignified manner. Lateefur Rehman, spokesman of KP Home and Tribal Affairs Department told APP on Sunday that repatriation of undocumented Afghan refugees was accelerated as the October 31 deadline approaches fast and approximately 33,555 undocumented Afghan immigrants have left for their home country between October 1- 23 through Torkham border that connect Pakistan and Afghanistan through Khyber district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The Afghan families included 2,772 families, consisting of 8,309 men, 5,457 women, and 19,789 children, reflecting the diverse demographic nature of the Afghan population. The voluntary repatriation process through the busy Torkham border was started after the government instructed all unregistered immigrants to return to their native countries by October 31, 2023.
He said Additional Chief Secretary Home and Tribal Affairs Department, Muhammad Abid Majeed has visited Afghan Refugees camps at Torkham border and Landi Kotal tehsil in District Khyber and reviewed all the arrangements for the smooth return of undocumented refugees.
Deputy Commissioner Khyber, Abdul Nasir Khan briefed the Additional Chief Secretary on the preparations and facilities of the district administration for the efficient return of all illegal foreign nationals at Landikotal and Torkham border.
The Additional Chief Secretary inspected the facilities and arrangements including water, tents and food services made for the smooth and voluntary return of the immigrants.
He reviewed preparations for repatriation in relief camps established at the Torkham border and Landikotal and expressed satisfaction with all necessary measures, which were put in place for the smooth return of Afghan refugees.
Deputy Commissioner Khyber, Abdul Nasir Khan presented a detailed briefing to the Additional Chief Secretary on the steps taken by district administration to facilitate the dignified repatriation of Afghan refugees to their home country.
The ACS expressed satisfaction over the work done so far and directed to providing facilities to Afghan refugees. Pakistan has hosted over 4.4 million Afghan refugees since 1979 after the USSR invasion of Afghanistan and has shared all essential services including hospitals, schools, colleges, transport, businesses and jobs with Afghan brothers and sisters during the last 44 years.
Govt encourages voluntarily repatriate of aliens till Nov 1: Bugti
