Aliens: Over 50 illegal immigrants arrested

Majority are said to be Afghan nationals residing in the port city illegally

KARACHI: More than 50 illegal immigrants were taken into custody by law enforcement agencies during a crackdown against illegal immigrants in the city.

The suspects were taken into custody from parts of districts West and East, including Baldia Town, Orangi Town, Manghopir and Gulshan-e-Iqbal respectively. According to Baldia SP, the illegal immigrants were taken into custody during a campaign against immigrants living in the city illegally.

He added that as many as 11 immigrants were taken into custody during a crackdown in Baldia Town locality.



On the other hand, Orangi police also conducted raids in parts of Orangi, including Manghopir, and arrested 33 illegal immigrants.

Meanwhile, over a dozen suspects were also taken into custody in parts of District East, including Gulshan-e-Iqbal.



Police officials said that the immigrants arrested were Afghan nationals who were residing in Karachi illegally. Cases against them were registered under the foreigners’ act and further investigation is under way.

A number of crackdowns against foreigners and immigrants residing illegally in the metropolis have been launched but each time the authorities fail to attain major success.

This time, the federal government has issued strict instructions to launch a crackdown against illegal immigrants, particularly Afghan nationals, following the killing of Afghan Taliban chief Mullah Akhtar Mansoor in a drone attack in Balochistan.

The police’s special branch has also been directed to prepare a list of illegal immigrants living in the city, which, according to an officer of the special branch, is near one million.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 9^th, 2016.