Afghanistan Times
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KABUL – Pakistan’s Interior Minister, Sarfaraz Bugti, has unveiled a plan for the phased deportation of Afghan migrants who lack valid legal documents. In the first stage, those without proper residence papers and those who entered Pakistan with fake identities will be the primary focus.
During an interview with Geo News on Saturday, Minister Bugti explained that the identification of illegal immigrants was completed by the end of October. After the specified deadline, all undocumented migrants will be subject to detention and deportation.
Bugti revealed that around 15,000 to 20,000 migrants have already voluntarily returned from Pakistan. He emphasized that all illegal migrants, including registered refugees with the United Nations and holders of National Identity Card for Overseas Pakistanis (NICOP), totaling approximately three million, should leave the country.
This announcement comes with just two days remaining until the deadline for illegal immigrants to depart Pakistan. The deportation process is rapidly gaining momentum, with reports indicating that over 86,000 of the 1.7 million migrants without legal documents have been expelled in less than a month. Furthermore, more than two million Afghan citizens reside in Pakistan without proper documentation.
It’s worth noting that Pakistan is maintaining its stance on the expulsion of migrants despite international pressure to reconsider this decision.
