The Pakistani authorities have launched a countrywide crackdown on illegal foreign residents, especially Afghans, after the October 31 deadline for them to leave the country lapsed at midnight.
Following government orders, thousands of Afghans are returning to their homeland from Torkham and Chaman borders every day. On October 31, 21,536 Afghans left for their country. Out of these, 7,292 were men, 5,280 women and 8,964 children.
Moreover, 883 families were repatriated to Afghanistan in 319 vehicles. So far, 126,017 Afghan refugees have been repatriated.
Schedule change
On the other hand, the schedule for transporting detained illegal Afghans to Chaman has been changed. The Afghans will be sent from the holding camps to Chaman via Jacobabad on Thursday instead of the previously decided Wednesday.
For three days every day, 500 Afghans will be sent to Chaman by 10 buses. On the fourth day, the Afghans will be sent to Chaman by train. The non-stop train will reach Chaman border through Rohri.
In Chaman, the district administration has taken adequate measures to provide food to the thousands of refugees who have reached here for their onward journey to Afghanistan. So far, 40,000 Afghan refugees have been sent back to Afghanistan.
According to sources in the administration, the first stop of the buses carrying the illegal Afghans will be Jacobabad where they will be housed under tight security.
According to security sources, 780 Afghans will be sent back to their homeland daily by train.
Arrests in Karachi, Islamabad
In the Saddar police precincts of Karachi, four foreigners, said to belong to Afghanistan, were arrested. Police claimed the four men were residing in the city illegally.
Over in the suburbs of Islamabad, 64 illegal Afghans were detained and sent to Torkham border on two buses for not possessing identity documents.
Today, we said goodbye to 64 Afghan nationals as they began their journey back home. This action is a testament to Pakistan's determination to repatriate any individuals residing in the country without proper documentation. pic.twitter.com/2PB9BjFKTA
— Senator Sarfraz Bugti (@PakSarfrazbugti) November 1, 2023
The detained people could not produce any kind of residence documents. They were seen off by the deputy commissioner and the Counter-Terrorism Department SSP.
The process of scrutinising the documents possessed by the foreigners has been completed.
In Attock, 42 illegally residing foreigners were arrested and shifted to holding centres.
Mapping, scanning, targeting locations
Over in Lahore, FIA and NADRA officials have been deputed at the Thokar Niaz Baig holding camp for verification. Police have said that they have carried out scanning and mapping in various localities, adding that teams of the relevant departments were working in various localities. Similar measures have been taken in the centres in Quetta.
The Lahore police has targeted locations after completing the mapping process. Bund Road near Saggian bridge, Shahdara and Farrukhabad have been declared hotspots. The settlements adjoining River Ravi have also been included in the list.
The tent settlements located at the entry points to the city will also be checked, as the authorities claim that a large number of illegal Afghan refugees reside in the hotpot areas.
Four camps are also established in the four districts of Multan Division. From across the division, 656 Afghans will be repatriated from Pakistan. A temporary residence has been established for the illegal foreigners in the sports hostel in the city. Commissioner Umar Khattak said strict security measures have been taken at the temporary shelters, while Rescue 1122 and doctors are also deputed there.
In Faisalabad Division, 3,015 illegal foreigners have been identified and 1,800 in the districts. According to the police, 60 Afghans have so far returned voluntarily. No Afghan has so far been arrested, claimed the police.
In Peshawar, SSP (Operations) Kashif Aftab Abbasi said the voluntary repatriation of illegal Afghan refugees was going on for quite a while now. Regarding their return after the expiry of the deadline, various police teams are working with the district administration.
Three camps have been established in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, he further said, adding that the illegal refugees will be brought to the camps and handed over to the Khyber police that will transport those residing in Pakistan without any documents to the border. The foreigners kept there will be registered and then presented before a magistrate before being sent back.
Across the country, 49 holding centres have been established and eight crossing points that will be used to send back the illegally residing Afghans. Police said that legal action will be taken against those providing employment to the illegally residing Afghans.
Action on harbouring illegal foreigners
For the first time in the country's history, the Interior Ministry has issued orders to all provinces to evict illegal residents under the Foreign Act 1946.
According to this decree, the illegal aliens under investigation and convicted of minor crimes will be deported. The caretaker government has warned that "strict legal action will be taken if any Pakistani is found involved in harbouring illegal immigrants after the deadline has passed".
The eviction plan will apply to all foreigners residing illegally in Pakistan, while no country or nationality will be taken into account in the implementation of the plan.
Security forces have completed the process of identifying illegal Afghans by mapping and geo-fencing. The process of identification of 200,000 illegal immigrants residing in Sindh has been completed.
Among the 300,000 illegal Afghan citizens living in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, those who do not return voluntarily will be shifted to holding centres.
200,000 personnel ready to assist repatriation: Punjab IGP
Punjab Police Inspector General Dr Usman Anwar has said that 200,000 personnel are ready for the repatriation of illegal Afghans, adding that those possessing legal residence documents will not be investigated.
He further said that the Pakistani state had asked the illegal foreigners a long time ago to leave the country. The teams working for the repatriation of the Afghans will ensure basic human rights.
The Punjab government will supervise the entire repatriation process, the IGP said, asking the people to inform the police about any illegal foreigners. The Punjab Police possess a database and intelligence reports about foreign refugees, he added.
No illegal foreign refugee will be allowed to enter Pakistan or reside here, the IGP stressed.
