‘16% of Karachi’s 20m residents are illegal’
Almost 16 per cent of the 20 million people living in Karachi are illegal residents.
KARACHI:
Almost 16 per cent of the 20 million people living in Karachi are illegal residents, speakers at a seminar “Being illegal in a foreign land means non-existence” discussed at the fishermen’s centre on Friday.
Thousands of people cross the borders and enter Pakistan posing as fishermen, while 80 per cent of them are from Bangladesh, said Mahigeer Samaji Sangat president Yousuf Khaskheli. The fishing industry employs the largest number of Bengalis, who also find work in households or as roadside venders, he added.
Poverty and illiteracy are the two biggest reasons that drive people to migrate illegally, speakers said, adding that another major reason behind this practice was a lack of awareness about immigration laws.
The National Aliens Registration Authority (Nara) plays an important part in highlighting the issue and finding ways to control illegal human trafficking and migration, said livestock and fisheries additional secretary Waheed Ahmed, who assured Nara of his department’s complete support. He appealed to the government as well as law-enforcement agencies to take “serious action against the violators”.
Khaskheli requested Nara representatives to expedite the registration procedure as the local fishing community suffers because of illegal immigrants. “They are employed as cheap labour when they come to Pakistan in search of a better livelihood,” said Labour assistant director Gulfam Nabi, who appreciated the efforts of the Basic Education for Awareness Reform and Empowerment (Befare) and Nara, adding that the government would not be able to stop illegal migration without the help of the local community.
Befare programme officer Aminullah Khan, Nara assistant director Muhammad Ali Lodhi and Karachi University’s Dr Fateh Muhammad Burfat also spoke at the seminar.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 24th, 2010.
Almost 16 per cent of the 20 million people living in Karachi are illegal residents, speakers at a seminar “Being illegal in a foreign land means non-existence” discussed at the fishermen’s centre on Friday.
Thousands of people cross the borders and enter Pakistan posing as fishermen, while 80 per cent of them are from Bangladesh, said Mahigeer Samaji Sangat president Yousuf Khaskheli. The fishing industry employs the largest number of Bengalis, who also find work in households or as roadside venders, he added.
Poverty and illiteracy are the two biggest reasons that drive people to migrate illegally, speakers said, adding that another major reason behind this practice was a lack of awareness about immigration laws.
The National Aliens Registration Authority (Nara) plays an important part in highlighting the issue and finding ways to control illegal human trafficking and migration, said livestock and fisheries additional secretary Waheed Ahmed, who assured Nara of his department’s complete support. He appealed to the government as well as law-enforcement agencies to take “serious action against the violators”.
Khaskheli requested Nara representatives to expedite the registration procedure as the local fishing community suffers because of illegal immigrants. “They are employed as cheap labour when they come to Pakistan in search of a better livelihood,” said Labour assistant director Gulfam Nabi, who appreciated the efforts of the Basic Education for Awareness Reform and Empowerment (Befare) and Nara, adding that the government would not be able to stop illegal migration without the help of the local community.
Befare programme officer Aminullah Khan, Nara assistant director Muhammad Ali Lodhi and Karachi University’s Dr Fateh Muhammad Burfat also spoke at the seminar.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 24th, 2010.