Pakistan may ask Illegal Afghans to leave in a month

PESHAWAR (Pajhwok): Pakistan’s caretaker government is expected to set a month-long deadline for all illegal foreigners, including Afghans, to leave the country.

A countrywide operation would be initiated on expiry of the deadline to deport illegal immigrants, whose majority is constituted by Afghans, a Pakistani newspaper retorted.

The News said Interior Minister Sarfraz Bugti would announce the deadline within days, A decision on the repatriation of undocumented foreigners has already been taken.

It is said the authorities have already arrested many illegal Afghan immigrants who were doing illegal dollar trade at the cost of the country’s economy. A large number of such illegal foreign nationals are also doing different businesses in several major cities including the federal capital. Surge in street crime in Islamabad is also linked with the influx of illegal Afghans.

Around 400,000 Afghans have reportedly entered Pakistan illegally since the regime change in the neighbouring country in August 2021.

Another 700,000 Afghans, who have been living in the country illegally, have also been identified, the newspaper said.

It added 1.1 million Afghan refugees in Pakistan neither had visas nor valid residency documents allowing them to stay in the country. The interim Afghan government has also been informed of Pakistan’s decision.

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