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Interim Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani defended the government’s decision on Friday to deport all illegal immigrants, including Afghans, from the country, asserting that the move was “consistent with international norms.” Jilani emphasized that no other country, whether in Europe or Asia, permits illegal immigrants to reside within its borders, and Pakistan has done so for over four decades.
Speaking in an interview with Hong Kong’s Phoenix TV during a forum in Tibet, Jilani explained, “Hence, our decision aligns with the international standard in this matter.” He pointed out that Pakistan had generously accommodated millions of refugees for over 40 years but believed it was now time for illegal refugees to return to their home country, especially with the situation in Afghanistan having “stabilized.”
📹 [Exclusive] Pakistani FM @JalilJilani: Whenever there was any problem, people will immigrate to Pakistan.
But now, it has been 40 years, and the government of Pakistan has taken a decision, that they should go back to their respective countries. pic.twitter.com/ypXAylPonU
— 鳳凰資訊 PhoenixTV News (@PhoenixTV_News) October 6, 2023
Jilani also mentioned that the decision to repatriate undocumented individuals came after extensive discussions and called upon international humanitarian organizations to assist in the process.
The conflict in Afghanistan, which spanned several decades, reached a critical point in mid-2021 with the Taliban’s return to power as foreign forces, led by the United States, withdrew and the US-supported Afghan government collapsed in the face of a determined Taliban offensive.
Also Read: Potential Impacts on Economy Over Crackdown on Illegal Immigrants in Pakistan
On Thursday, the deportation of Afghan citizens living illegally in Pakistan commenced, with 16 trucks carrying 20 families reaching the Torkham border.
Caretaker Interior Minister Sarfraz Bugti had previously announced that all foreign nationals residing illegally in the country, including millions of Afghans, were given until November 1 to leave voluntarily or face deportation. These measures, including the introduction of the “one document regime” for Afghanistan, were part of a series of measures approved by both civil and military leadership to address the escalating terrorist incidents.
During a National Action Plan (NAP) meeting chaired by caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar and attended by key figures such as Army Chief General Asim Munir, cabinet ministers, and senior security officials, it was evident that Pakistan was sending a message to the interim Afghan government: “business as usual” would not continue with the neighboring country.
Following the meeting, the interior minister informed reporters that the federal government had decided to deport all illegal foreign nationals residing in Pakistan starting from November 1. He emphasized that all foreigners living illegally in Pakistan were given a 28-day grace period to leave voluntarily or face forced eviction.
Although the government did not specify any particular country, it was evident that the move primarily targeted the hundreds of thousands of Afghans living illegally in Pakistan. Official estimates indicated that as many as 1.1 million Afghans were residing in the country without proper documents or legal means to stay.
In response, the Taliban government in Afghanistan expressed its disapproval of Islamabad’s decision to expel undocumented Afghan nationals and denied any involvement of Afghan refugees in Pakistan’s security issues.
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