Jan Achakzai, the Caretaker Information Minister of Balochistan, has indicated that the second phase of a crackdown against illegal foreigners is underway, with the government aiming to expel up to 1 million aliens by January 2024.
Since the government’s announcement on October 5 to deport undocumented refugees, more than 340,000 illegal migrants, primarily Afghans, have either left voluntarily or been deported from Pakistan. The interim government, in October, had declared that all illegal immigrants must leave Pakistan by November 1 or face forceful expulsion.
Speaking to the media in Quetta, the caretaker provincial minister stated that all government agencies are actively participating in the crackdown on illegal migrants. He emphasized that those harboring illusions of evading the crackdown are living in a fool’s paradise.
While the repatriation of unregistered Afghan nationals is ongoing through the Chaman border, the process has slowed down in recent days, according to Achakzai. Thousands of Afghans are returning to their homeland daily through the Chaman and Torkham borders. Temporary accommodation facilities, including transit camps, have been established in various districts for the dignified return of Afghans.
The decision to expel illegal foreigners was made in an apex committee meeting on the National Action Plan (NAP) on October 3, following a deadly suicide blast in Mastung, Balochistan, where over 60 people lost their lives. Afghan nationals or soil have been reportedly involved in many recent terror incidents in Pakistan.
A statistical report by the independent think tank Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS) revealed that the first half of 2023 witnessed at least 271 militant attacks, resulting in 389 fatalities and 656 injuries. Terror activities in the country increased by 79% during this period.
The United Nations (UN) has emphasized that refugees in Pakistan should be allowed to leave voluntarily, without facing any pressure. Pakistan has been hosting millions of Afghan refugees since the Soviet Union’s invasion in 1979. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) data, approximately 1.33 million registered refugees hold Proof of Registration (PoR) cards, and 840,000 possess Afghan citizenship cards.
