Pakistan’s action against illegal foreigners including deportation in line with law: FO

ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office on Thursday said Pakistan’s action against illegal foreigners on its soil, including their deportation, was in accordance with the law of the land.

Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch at a weekly press briefing said the implementation of these laws was being carried out for the safety and security of the country.

She said Pakistan was in touch with the interim Afghan government over the return of illegal Afghans as the repatriation plan comes into effect on November 1, the official news agency reported.

“We explained to them that this policy doesn’t pertain to Afghans only and extends to all nationalities without valid documents to stay in Pakistan,” she said.

Asked if Pakistan intended to appoint a full-fledged ambassador in Afghanistan, she said Ubaidur Rehman Nizamani as the current Head of Mission in Kabul would continue to perform his duties in the same position.

On the situation in Gaza, she said Pakistan’s position was consistent demanding an end to indiscriminate bombing, and siege of Gaza. Pakistan stands for the establishment of the state of Palestine with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital, she added.

“Our Palestinian brothers and sisters in Gaza are at the receiving end of an inhumane campaign of collective punishment by the Israeli occupation forces. We mourn the over 6,500 civilians killed in Gaza including 2,700 children as a result of Israel’s relentless and indiscriminate bombardment,” she said.

Baloch said Pakistan looked forward to the outcome of the extraordinary emergency session of the United Nations General Assembly after the UN Security Council failed to even call for a ceasefire and put an end to the carnage in Gaza.

She said Pakistan expected from the UNSC a “more responsive and pro-active role” and added that any reforms or expansion needed to be of democratic nature rather than creating new centres of privileges.

She rejected the notion that Pakistan exported any armaments and ammunition to Ukraine during its fight with Russia.

Asked if Pakistan charged fees to the dignitaries from the Gulf during the hunting season of falcons, the FO spokesperson said there was a comprehensive and streamlined mechanism in place to facilitate these foreigners.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, she said, makes recommendations to the provincial governments about the visit of dignitaries, and the provinces collect the hunting fee.

She said the hunting activity contributed to the socio-economic development of local areas and also strengthened bilateral ties with the countries.

To a question on the United States’ decision to put sanctions on Chinese entities for allegedly facilitating Pakistan’s missile system, she said such designations contradicted the US policy of export control waivers granting access to India to advance its capacity, thus undermining the strategic stability of South Asia.

Baloch said Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani was in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, to attend the Council of Heads of Government at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).

The spokesperson said on October 27, the 76th anniversary of a dark day in the history of South Asia would be marked when in 1947, the Indian occupation forces landed in Jammu and Kashmir.

She said the people of Kashmir never accepted the illegal occupation of their land nor the systematic campaign by India to suppress them by force and to turn them into a disempowered minority in their own land.

“Pakistan will continue to provide political, moral, and diplomatic support to our Kashmiri brothers and sisters until they realize their inherent right to self-determination as per the UNSC resolutions,” she said.