ISLAMABAD: Twenty-four hours left in the deadline for undocumented immigrants, including Afghan refugees, to return to their home countries on a voluntary basis.
The government is likely to launch a strict crackdown against illegal immigrants after the deadline is over.
Following the caretaker government’s announcement last month, thousands of Afghan refugees and other illegal immigrants from different countries started to return to their home nations, but many are still hiding to escape return.
Ahead of the deadline, Caretaker Interior Minister Sarfraz Bugti warned in his media conference of strict action against those trying to escape and the locals who facilitate illegal immigrants in Pakistan.
He said that the government collected data on all illegal immigrants across the country through geo-fencing, and after the deadline, they would be detained in holding centers, where they would be forcibly deported to their home nations after necessary paperwork.
UK Guarantees Resettlement of Afghan Immigrants
Against the backdrop of the eviction of illegal immigrants from Pakistan, the UK government also guaranteed the resettlement of two thousand Afghan refugees in Britain.
The departure of Afghan refugees from Pakistan under resettlement operations started on 26 October through chartered flights.
Twelve special charter flights will shift two thousand refugees to Britain by the end of December, as one weekly flight will depart carrying 200 passengers.
Civil Aviation of Pakistan had set up special counters for Afghan refugees for their facilitation at Islamabad Airport.
For the flights, the landing and take-off arrangements were made in mutual consultation between the UK authorities and the CAA.
