Action against illegal foreigners in line with law, Foreign Office

No compromise on deadline,

Pakistanis sheltering undocumented aliens will be sent to prison, Sarfraz Bugti,

ISLAMABAD  – The Foreign Office on Thursday said Pakistan’s action against illegal foreigners on its soil, including their deportation, was in accordance with the law of the land.

Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch at a weekly press briefing said the implementation of these laws was being carried out for the safety and security of the country.

She said Pakistan was in touch with the interim Afghan government over the return of illegal Afghans as the repatriation plan comes into effect on November 1.

“We explained to them that this policy doesn’t pertain to Afghans only and extends to all nationalities without valid documents to stay in Pakistan,” she said.

Asked if Pakistan intended to appoint a full-fledged ambassador in Afghanistan, she said Ubaidur Rehman Nizamani as the current Head of Mission in Kabul would continue to perform his duties in the same position.

Earlier,

Caretaker Interior Minister Sarfraz Bugti has made it crystal clear that there would be “no compromise” with illegal immigrants after the expiry of October 31 deadline and  that the government would open several “holding centres” for undocumented immigrants as a deportation deadline looms for hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants including Afghans,

Islamabad has given foreigners it says are living illegally in Pakistan until November 1 to leave voluntarily or face deportation — an order the Afghan government says amounts to harassment.

“These centres have been named as ‘holding centres’. Illegal immigrants will be kept there,”  Bugti said and added “They will be provided with medical facilities and food. Children, women and elders will be treated with special respect. But at the same time, after November 1st, we will not compromise on illegal immigrants.”

The minister also warned that Pakistanis sheltering undocumented illegal immigrants would be “dealt with sternly” and aliens with fake documents would be “punished”.

Addressing a news conference in Islamabad on Thursday, the interior minister said that temporary camps have been set up for repatriation of illegal immigrants. “People who are facilitating the illegal immigrants will also not be spared at all,” he added.

Bugti also made it clear that all the illegal immigrants have been identified and those who possess illegal NADRA identity cards will be sent to prison.

“The State has all the data about the people living illegally in Pakistan. There will be compromise after the October 31 deadline,” the minister maintained.

Bugti said those who choose to go back voluntarily will be given incentives. “A family is not allowed to take more than Rs50,000 with it,” he added.

Bugti again said the no compromise will be made at all on the deadline given for voluntary repatriation of foreign nationals including Afghans staying illegally in Pakistan. He said the government has finalized a comprehensive repatriation plan for these illegal foreigners.

The minister said under this plan “holding centres” have been established with mutual consultation of all four provinces, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir, where these people will be provided shelter with all facilities in a dignified manner.

Bugti dispelled the impression that the government of Pakistan desires repatriation of Afghans only. He said the repatriation deadline is for every foreigner, who is staying illegally in Pakistan. He said no country accepts an individual to come and stay through illegal means.

Bugti said those illegal foreigners, who would be provided stay at holding centres for onward repatriation to their respective countries, would be allowed to take amount in their local currency equal to 50,000 Pakistani rupees. He said taking amount in shape of dollars would not be allowed at all.

The minister warned that a strict action according the law of the land will be taken against the Pakistani nationals, who are involved in facilitating the illegal foreigners in obtaining documents, properties and managing businesses in Pakistan.

He said the government has completed geo-fencing of all illegal foreigners and the State has their data as well.

Replying to a question, Bugti said it is a challenging task, but we as a State, they have a capacity to counter this challenge.

Replying to yet another question, Bugti said the government can facilitate illegal foreigners on humanitarian grounds, but those are involved in destroying out social fabric would be dealt with iron hands.

He expressed his resolve that time will come that no illegal foreigner will be staying in the country. He pledged that no manhandling will be done during the process of repatriation of the illegal foreigners.

Bugti said a cell has been established in the Interior Ministry with a hotline where complainants can register complaints. He said people can also share information about any illegal foreigner on this hotline as well.

Feroz Jamal, a spokesman for the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government, said three centres would be ready in the province, which borders Afghanistan, by the deadline.

The repatriation of illegal foreign nationals to their countries is continuing and just five days are left for undocumented foreign nationals to leave Pakistan.

The government has asked all undocumented foreign nationals, including Afghans, to leave Pakistan by 31st of this month; otherwise law enforcement agencies will take action as per law of the land.