Govt decides to evict 1.1m foreigners residing illegally in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: The caretaker government has decided to evict 1.1 million foreigners living illegally in Pakistan because of their involvement in funding, facilitating terrorists and other illegal activities.

In the first phase, illegal residents, in the second phase, those with Afghan citizenship and in the third phase, those with proof of residence cards will be expelled.

“Illegally resident foreigners pose a serious threat to the security of Pakistan,” said a source privy to the development and added that the plan for eviction of illegally residing Afghan citizens has also been approved as this lot is involved in funding, facilitating and smuggling terrorists whereas 700,000 Afghans have not renewed their proof of residence in Pakistan.

It has been informed that in the first phase, illegal residents will be deported along with those who do not renew their visas.

In the second phase, those with Afghan citizenship will be deported, in the third phase, those with proof of residence cards will be deported, the official news agency reported.

The Ministry of Interior has prepared a plan in consultation with the stakeholders and the Afghan government.

In the meantime, the ministry has also issued directives to the concerned to compile a record of Afghans living without permits and prepare a transportation plan to bring them to the Afghan border.

Apart from checking the records of all the Afghans residing in the country, the concerned officials were directed to quickly deal with the applications filed regarding the registration of Afghans.