K-P seeks funds for repatriation effort

The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa caretaker cabinet met on Friday to assess the ongoing evacuation of illegally residing foreigners in the province and requested the federal government to allocate Rs1 billion in funding to cover the costs of repatriation.

Chief Minister Muhammad Azam Khan chaired the special meeting, attended by Chief Secretary Nadeem Aslam Chaudhry, Additional Chief Secretary for Interior Abid Majeed, as well as relevant administrative secretaries and officials. To enhance management, an emergency was declared in Nowshera, Peshawar, and Khyber districts.

During the meeting, they received a briefing on the arrangements made for the repatriation of illegal immigrants and related matters. Muhammad Azam Khan expressed satisfaction with the administration’s efforts to facilitate the return of illegal immigrants to their home countries and the amenities offered in the holding centers.

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He praised the various departments and institutions, including district administration and police, for their roles in providing facilities and accommodations for returning migrants.

The chief minister emphasized that voluntarily returning illegal immigrants should be treated with the utmost humanity, ensuring special care during their repatriation, while also respecting local traditions and values.

He stressed the importance of transparency in all expenses related to the foreign evacuation process, calling for a detailed record of both regular and emergency expenses and strict adherence to expense rules and regulations, along with mechanisms to ensure transparency.

During a press conference regarding the cabinet’s decisions, Caretaker Minister of Information and Public Relations, Barrister Feroze Jamal Kakakhel, highlighted the need for an orderly and respectful approach to the return of illegal residents, in accordance with K-P traditions.

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He mentioned exemptions for women and children from biometric requirements, facilities at transit points, and the influx of illegal residents from other provinces into K-P, leading to increased responsibilities for the province.

Kakakhel revealed that the caretaker cabinet approved the release of emergency funds for the relief department, with an estimated expenditure of Rs1 billion, and the federal caretaker government has been contacted for immediate provision.

He noted that the federal government will collaborate with provincial governments to share expenses because this issue extends beyond K-P and affects all provinces.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 4^th, 2023.