1,700 ‘illegal’ Afghan nationals arrested in Karachi: Sindh home minister

Sindh interim home minister Brigadier Haris Nawaz (retired) said on Monday that the authorities had arrested 1,700 Afghan nationals “illegally residing” in Karachi, Aaj News reported.

“All illegal immigrants living in Sindh would be deported,” he said while speaking to the media outside the office of West Zone deputy inspector general of police.

Last week, the caretaker government gave an ultimatum to all undocumented immigrants, including Afghan nationals, to leave Pakistan by October 31, or else face imprisonment and deportation to their respective countries.

It was decided that movement across the border would be subject to passports and visas, while electronic Afghan identity cards (or e-tazkiras) would only be accepted until October 31.

After the passage of the deadline, the authorities will kick-start an operation targeting illegal properties and businesses owned by immigrants or those being run in collaboration with Pakistani nationals.

Following the government deadline, a crackdown has commenced across the country on illegal immigrants, particularly Afghan citizens.

Last week, a meeting of the Sindh Apex Com­m­ittee, attended by caretaker Chief Minister ret­ired Justice Maqbool Baqar and Chief of Army Staff Gen Syed Asim Munir, was informed that pockets where illegal Afghan nationals were concentrated in the province had been identified.

Talking to media persons today, Nawaz said the Sindh government was preparing a mechanism under which registered immigrants would not be touched.

He said committees led by concerned SSPs and deputy commissioners were being formed in which representatives of all institutions would be included in action against illegal immigrants.

“Illegal Afghans would be sent back home in buses through the Chaman border in Balochistan, while registered Afghans would not be touched,” the home minister stated.