Punjab Police to deport unregistered immigrant children

IGP Anwar instructs field officers to expedite evacuation of aliens, regardless of their inclusion in official lists

LAHORE:

Punjab Police on Tuesday announced plans to categorise unregistered children of immigrants in the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) as illegal immigrants, subjecting them to mandatory deportation.

In a move to expedite the evacuation process, the province's top police official, IGP Dr Usman Anwar, has instructed field officers to accelerate the removal of all illegal immigrants, regardless of their official status.

Expressing frustration with the slow pace of deportations, Anwar highlighted concerns that only around 300 individuals from Punjab had been deported so far, with the majority originating from South Punjab, specifically the Multan and DG Khan divisions.

During a video-link RPO conference, Anwar urged enhanced coordination with special branch, CTD, security agencies, and intelligence sources to hasten the evacuation.

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Emphasising peaceful evacuation, Anwar directed the removal of all illegal immigrants, listed or unlisted, and urged vigilance to prevent evasion attempts by individuals moving between districts. Unregistered children in NADRA records are now considered illegal resident citizens, and Anwar instructed all RPOs and DPOs to expedite the evacuation under their supervision.

Commending the effective performance of RPOs in Multan and DG Khan, Anwar stated that evacuation progress across Punjab is gradual but should be completed promptly.

During the meeting, IG Punjab Dr Usman Anwar underscored the importance of respecting human rights during the evacuation, emphasising the need for a swift and successful operation.