Aliens told to depart by Nov 1 or face ouster

ISLAMABAD:

All foreign nationals living illegally in the country, including millions of Afghans, have been given until November 1 to leave voluntarily or face deportation, caretaker Interior Minister Sarfraz Bugti announced on Tuesday.

The measures, including the introduction of the “one document regime” for Afghanistan, were part of a raft of measures approved by the civil and military leadership to deal with rising terrorist incidents.

The apex committee of the National Action Plan (NAP) meeting presided over by caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar was held to discuss the prevailing security situation. The high-level huddle was attended by Army Chief General Asim Munir, cabinet ministers and other senior security officials.

The meeting was held against the backdrop of a surge in terrorist attacks and continued tensions with Afghanistan over its refusal to take action against the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

In what seems to be a message for the interim Afghan government, Pakistan through a series of new measures has made it clear that “business as usual” won’t continue with the neighbouring country.

Briefing reporters after the meeting, the interior minister said the federal government decided to deport all illegal foreign nationals residing in Pakistan from November 1.

All foreigners living in Pakistan illegally have been given 28 days to leave the country or face eviction by force, he added.

Although the government did not mention any country by name, it is evident that the move is aimed at hundreds and thousands of Afghans living in Pakistan illegally. According to official estimates, as many as 1.1 million Afghans have been residing in the country illegally. Neither have they neither any documents nor any other legal means to stay in the country.

Bugti said all state law-enforcement agencies will be mobilised to take action against the illegal foreign nationals and they will be deported after November 1. "If they do not go... then all the law enforcement agencies in the provinces or federal government will be utilised to deport them."

According to the minister, after November 1, not only will the illegal nationals be deported, but their properties and businesses will also be confiscated too.

He added that action would be taken as per the law of the land against any Pakistani citizen involved in illegal businesses and making huge properties through illegal foreign nationals.

The minister said a task force had also been constituted at the interior ministry to launch and monitor the announced actions. He said the safety and security of the people of Pakistan was the prime responsibility and foremost priority of the government.

Afghans have poured into Pakistan in their millions during decades of successive wars, many living in refugee camps with restricted access to education, healthcare and employment. An estimated 600,000 have arrived since the Taliban seized power in Kabul in August 2021. Many are seeking asylum in third countries.

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"There have been 24 suicide attacks since January, 14 of these 24 were carried by Afghan nationals," Bugti told reporters. "There are no two opinions that we are attacked from within Afghanistan and Afghan nationals are involved in attacks on us," he said. "We have evidence."
Pakistan has launched crackdowns on Afghans in the past and threatened to deport them all, but the campaigns have fizzled out after a few months, or following talks between the respective capitals.

Another major decision approved by the apex committee was to introduce the “one document regime” for Afghans travelling to Pakistan. In the first phase, starting from October 10, Afghans with e-Tazkirah would be allowed to travel while manual documents would not be entertained.
However, from the next month Afghans, wishing to travel to Pakistan, would need valid visas. “All other documents that were earlier admissible would not be valid for travel use.”

The move will impact thousands of Afghans who use Tazkirah to shuttle between the two countries.

Bugti said steps were being taken to streamline the functions of NADRA. He expressed dismay over occurrences of fraudulent activities in the past, where fake national identity cards were produced by foreign individuals, leading to the creation of illegal travel documents.

Revealing the illegal practices to attain Pakistani nationality, he said any foreign national can be fraudulently added to the family tree of a genuine Pakistani citizen.

The minister also announced taking DNA tests of suspicious individuals in order to tighten the noose around illegal foreign nationals. He said a web portal was being established, that will offer a Universal Access Number and every Pakistani can give relevant information about illegal immigrants and illegal practices, including smuggling and hoarding. He said the name of the informer would be kept secret and a reward would also be given to him.

The minister said joint checkposts have also been established at the borders of the provinces to tackle challenges such as smuggling and hoarding across the country. He vowed to expedite action against people involved in electricity pilferage, Hawala, Hundi and smuggling.

Expressing grave concern over the rising tendency of narcotics, especially among the youth, Bugti said a Counter Narcotics Center will be established in the federal capital.

The minister reiterated to provide protection to all minorities and said no group or individual will be allowed to suppress them as “Islam gives lessons to provide protection to minorities”.

All these measures, however, are seen in the context of ongoing tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Pakistan is upset over the repeated cross-border terrorist attacks by the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban (TTP).  Islamabad is frustrated over the lack of action by the Afghan Taliban against the TTP.