Pakistan deports 1,700 Afghan nationals among 2,371 undocumented migrants

Pakistani authorities have announced the deportation of a total of 2,371 undocumented migrants, including 1,700 Afghan nationals, as part of a nationwide initiative aimed at expelling over 1.7 million immigrants who lack the necessary documents to reside in the country.

Haris Nawaz, the Acting Interior Minister for Sindh, Pakistan, provided this update during a press conference, emphasizing that the deportation of illegal immigrants was being executed impartially. He clarified that this action was not exclusively targeting Afghan immigrants but was equally applicable to all foreign nationals living in the province without proper legal documentation.

Nawaz underlined that comprehensive crackdowns were underway across Pakistan to address the issue of illegal immigration, and this approach reflected a unanimous policy adhered to by the Sindh province. He further noted that due processes were being observed throughout the deportation procedures.

As of now, Nawaz disclosed that there were 1,218 pending cases of illegal immigrants detained in various jails across the province. He pointed out that a higher concentration of illegal immigrants resided in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, compared to the Sindh province.

Over the past few months, Pakistan has detained hundreds of Afghan nationals for lacking the requisite stay documents. While some have been released, a significant number remain in custody.

The Pakistani government has established a deadline of November 1 for over 1.7 million migrants to leave the country voluntarily; otherwise, they will face deportation.