Minister orders officials to be respectful to undocumented immigrants

ISLAMABAD: Caretaker Interior Minister Sarfraz Bugti on Tuesday directed officials and agencies to be respectful to undocumented immigrants while detaining them in holding centres after the deadline.

Talking to media persons, he said strict action would be taken against officials found involved in manhandling of the immigrants including Afghans while transporting them to the holding centres.

He said the ministry has established a complaint cell with a hotline number to immediately address the complaints of mistreatment or manhandling with any illegal immigrant, the official news agency reported.

“We have given clear instructions to all agencies and officials to treat women, children and elders with special care and respect,” the minister said, adding that the arrangement for food and medical facilities were made in the holding centres.

The deadline for undocumented immigrants including Afghan refugees for voluntary return ended on October 31 after which the government’s crackdown against them has started in full swing, he added.

The National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) has collected entire data of undocumented immigrants in the country through geo-fencing, the minister said, adding that those who still tried to escape the government’s amnesty would be caught from their hideouts.

Bugti also warned of strict action against locals helping the immigrants and providing them shelter.

“Any Pakistani who rents his house to illegal immigrant will be considered as partner in crime and treated equally according to the law,” he added.

The minister said that it was a national duty of Pakistani citizens to inform the government about illegal immigrants and their residences.

The minister said that illegal residents could go back to their countries to get legal documents and come back here to do business and meetings with friends.