Language barrier hampers action

As the deadline given by the caretaker federal government for the repatriation of illegal aliens residing in the country has ended, a crackdown has been launched against the illegal settlers, including a large number of undocumented Afghans, in major cities, including Rawalpindi.

In this regard, eight holding centres have become fully functional for the eviction of illegal migrants, including the Afghan refugees who are illegally residing in the country in large numbers. However, the implementation of the standard operating procedures (SOPs) is being disrupted due to the deployment of staff, who do not know Persian and Pashto languages, in the holding centres.

To address this issue, the administration has decided to appoint staff or translators who are proficient in these languages.

According to sources, on the first day of the crackdown, only five Afghan nationals were detained and transferred to various holding centres. However, the operation against the undocumented settlers is likely to pick pace from today [Thursday].

District administration sources told The Express Tribune that the process of deporting illegal aliens, including the undocumented Afghans residing in Rawalpindi, like other cities of the country, was started.

“On Wednesday, with the help of the police, a crackdown was launched in different areas and five Afghans were detained and transferred to holding centres,” they said and added that all holding centres had separate counters of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), the National Database Registration Authority (NADRA) and other government departments.

Read: Hundreds rounded up as crackdown on illegal aliens begin

They said the main problem in the crackdown and transfer of Afghan nationals to the holding centres was the inability of the staff to communicate in Persian and Pashto languages.

Sources said all the staff posted in the holding centres were proficient in Urdu and Punjabi languages, while those against whom action was being taken mostly speak Persian and some of them also speak Pashto. “Not all Afghans understand or speak Urdu or Punjabi,” they said.

According to sources, the staff involved in the crackdown on illegal aliens, including the undocumented Afghans, have raised this issue with their high-ups.

The sources further explained that the second major issue during the crackdown against illegal Afghan settlers is their appearance, as many appear to be Pashtuns. Upon examining the identities of some of those individuals, the police discovered that although they appeared to be Afghan, they held Pakistani citizenship and hailed from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The sources indicated that the police cross-check the identity cards or determine individuals speaking Urdu to conclude whether they are Afghans or Pakistanis.

They revealed that the police have taken action in various areas of the garrison city, detaining five individuals and transferring them to the holding centres. “Verification of their credentials is under way, and they will be kept in holding centres until further orders,” they said.

Officials mentioned that the issues arising due to the Persian and Pashto languages will be promptly resolved. “From today, individuals proficient in Pashto or Persian will be included in the duty rosters of the holding centres and if the situation intensifies, temporary translators may be appointed to these centres with the permission of the Punjab government, they said.

Also read: Pindi to arrest 24,000 undocumented Afghans

The officials also stated that starting today, the momentum of operations will also increase against the illegal settlers.

Pakistan decided to evict all illegal Afghans as part of its wider strategy keeping in view the security and economic situation. The country’s interior minister has revealed that this year 28 suicide attacks were carried out in Pakistan and half of them were carried out by Afghans, who entered the country illegally.

The campaign against such Afghans is also seen in the context of the tense relationship between Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban government, which is reluctant to neutralise the threat posed by banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 2^nd, 2023.