Pakistan on Thursday gave a last warning to all immigrants in the country
illegally, including hundreds of thousands of Afghan nationals, to leave voluntarily before a Nov. 1 deadline.
The Interim Interior Minister Sarfraz Bugti said at a news conference on Thursday that Pakistan was determined to
go ahead with a plan to remove all undocumented immigrants after Nov. 1.
The minister said the decision was taken after Afghan nationals were found to be involved in crimes, smuggling and
attacks against government and the army, including 14 out of 24 suicide bombings this year.
“All the illegal immigrants have been identified. The state has a complete data,” said Bugti.
“I want to appeal one more time that all the illegal immigrants should leave voluntarily by the deadline.”
Bugti warned that law enforcement agencies would start an operation to remove people after the expiry of the deadline.
He also said action would be taken against anyone found involved in facilitating or hiding the immigrants.
The immigrants, mostly Afghans, many of whom have lived in Pakistan for years, would be processed at temporary
centers being set up by the government.
Those leaving voluntarily would be helped to leave Pakistan, such as preparation of their documents, permission to exchange
currency and transportation.
Pakistan has received the largest influx of Afghan refugees since the Soviet invasion of Kabul in 1979.
Hundreds of thousands of Afghans moved to Pakistan to escape war and conflicts, and many are registered as refugees with
the government and UN agencies.
The expulsion plan marks a new low in relations between the South Asian neighbors after border clashes in recent months.
Islamabad alleges that the militants use Afghan soil to train fighters and plan attacks inside Pakistan, a charge Kabul denies,
saying Pakistani security is a domestic issue.
