Pakistan’s Last Warning To Illegal Immigrants: ‘Leave Our Country’; Who Are The Targets?

Islamabad: The Pakistan government has issued a last warning to immigrants who had entered the country illegally to leave voluntarily before November 1.

Pakistan’s interim Interior Minister Sarfraz Bugti said on Thursday that the government was determined to go ahead with a plan to remove all undocumented immigrants after November 1, reported Reuters.

“All the illegal immigrants have been identified. The state has complete data. I want to appeal one more time that all illegal immigrants should leave voluntarily by the deadline,” Bugti said.

Afghan will be the worst affected as hundreds of thousands of refugees crossed over to neighbouring Pakistan since the Soviet invasion of Kabul in 1979 to escape war and conflicts. Many of them are registered as refugees with the government and UN agencies.

Pakistan, which announced the move earlier this month, took the decision after Afghan nationals were found to be involved in crimes, smuggling and attacks against the government and army, including 14 out of 24 suicide bombings this year.

Warning that law enforcement agencies will start an operation to remove people after the expiry of the deadline, the minister said action will also be taken against anyone found involved in facilitating or hiding the immigrants.

The immigrants, many of whom have lived in Pakistan for years, will be processed at temporary centres being set up by the government.

Pakistan authorities will help those leaving the country voluntarily by preparing their documents, permission to exchange currency and transportation.