Pakistan finalized the plan to send back illegal immigrants, made ‘holding centers’ at many places

The Pakistan government on Thursday said it has set up ‘holding centres’ across the country and finalized plans to deport illegal immigrants, including an estimated 1.7 million Afghans, by the October 31 deadline.

Earlier this month, Pakistan had given an ultimatum to all undocumented migrants, including 1.7 million Afghan nationals, to leave the country by a deadline, failing which they could face imprisonment and deportation.

Although the Pakistan government says the deportation announcement is not limited to Afghans and applies to all illegal immigrants, acting Home Minister Sarfaraz Bugti blamed them on Thursday. ‘The News International’ quoted Bugti as saying that illegal Afghan citizens were responsible for 14 of the 24 suicide bombings in the country this year. The security of the people of Pakistan is the main responsibility and biggest priority of the government.

According to a report in Dawn News, ‘Urging the illegal immigrants living in Pakistan to voluntarily return to their country, Bugti said that the government has finalized the plan to send such people back.’ Asserting that ‘no compromise will be made’ as the deadline approaches, Bugti said, ‘Centers have been set up in various cities across the country to house illegal immigrants, while those who leave voluntarily will be helped to leave Pakistan. Will.’

‘It is a challenging task but Pakistan is committed to expelling all illegal immigrants,’ Bugti was quoted as saying by ‘The International News’. The decision to expel all illegal immigrants was taken at a meeting of the apex committee chaired by caretaker Prime Minister Anwar ul Haq Kakkar. The committee also decided that cross-border movement would be subject to passports and visas, while electronic Afghan identity cards (or e-Tazkira) would be accepted only until October 31.