All illegal foreigners living in Pakistan now have only 26 days to exit the country.

The Pakistan government had set the deadline of October 31 for all illegal foreign residents to exit the country. The government has also stressed that after the deadline, the law enforcement agencies would arrest the illegal residents and ensure they are deported to their home countries.

Meanwhile, the Foreign Office has announced that the identity of anyone providing information about illegal foreign residents would remain undisclosed. 

Also Read: National apex committee decides to continue operations against enemies of peace

The deadline for the operation against illegal immigrants residing in Pakistan depends on their number and the measures taken, said FO spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch at the weekly media briefing. 

Meanwhile, the crackdown on illegal Afghan immigrants is under way in Karachi. After their arrest, they will be shifted to jails in interior Sindh due to overcrowding in Karachi prisons, it has been decided.

In the last two days, 748 immigrants have been brought to jail, according to the jails inspector general of Sindh. He added that the jails of Karachi are overcrowded.

After running out of space in Karachi, it has been decided to shift the prisoners to jails in interior Sindh.

The IG said that the sentence for the Afghans arrested under the Foreigners Act was three months and after completion of the sentence, the prisoners are deported.

On the other hand, Pakistan has accelerated the process of geotagging and tracking illegal Afghan immigrants in the country, and a survey has also been issued for their return home.

Significant progress has now been made in this regard, and a survey has been issued to track and return the illegally residing Afghan nationals. 

Also Read: Pakistan accelerates geotagging, tracking of illegal Afghan immigrants

A recent Fourth Schedule Mapping of Punjab by the police and security institutions identified 2,291 trained Afghan extremists, while 541 persons released from Afghan jails have also been included in the watch list.

According to police records, the number of identity cardholders and documented registered Afghans in Punjab is more than 275,000, while there is no record of over-stayers and illegal residents. Out of these, 88,295 are Afghan citizen card-holders, while 186,904 possess proof of registration card. 

On Oct 3, the national apex committee on security had decided to kickstart an operation to oust any illegal Afghan immigrants after which an intense crackdown was launched and hundreds arrested.