As the government-set deadline for the deportation of mainly Afghan illegal immigrants draws closer, authorities have stepped up their efforts, establishing ‘holding centers’ and opening additional border crossing points to accelerate the repatriation process.
In a press conference, Balochistan Information Minister Jan Achakzai announced the opening of three additional crossing points in Qila Saifullah, Qameruddin Karez, and Baracha Noor Wahab in Chagai district to facilitate the return of Afghan and Iranian Baloch immigrants by the October 31 deadline.
The Quetta Haji camp has been converted into a holding center, and additional centers have been set up in Chaman and Pishin, with the possibility of establishing more centers in other areas if necessary.
Achakzai emphasized that the government is committed to expelling illegal foreigners from across the province after the deadline, with a focus on updating and saving data of voluntarily repatriated illegal immigrants.
Furthermore, the Punjab government has identified 33,000 illegal foreign residents, primarily Afghan nationals, in the province, with plans to keep them at 36 ‘holding points’ before deportation if they do not leave voluntarily by the deadline.
In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), the home and tribal affairs department has finalized sites for accommodating illegal immigrants near Hamza Baba’s mausoleum in Landi Kotal, district Khyber, and Labour Colony near Defence Housing Authority, with plans for additional facilities in Azad Kashmir and Hazara division.
A control room has been established to coordinate and monitor the repatriation plan of illegal foreigners, with the participation of various law enforcement and intelligence agencies.
The government is taking strict action against those who aid illegal immigrants, including the confiscation of their properties, as part of its comprehensive crackdown on undocumented immigrants.
The authorities are emphasizing the need to abide by international border practices, indicating a firm stance against the continued influx of undocumented individuals, particularly those crossing the Pak-Afghan border without proper documentation.
