Pakistan : Pakistan has unveiled a groundbreaking plan to deport registered Afghan immigrants, citing security threats originating from militants using Afghanistan as a base for launching terrorist activities. The Balochistan caretaker minister, Jan Achakzai, defended the policy, asserting that it is a sovereign state’s response to safeguarding its citizens.
Pakistan Govt.
The caretaker information minister of Pakistan, in a press conference at the Karachi Press Club, declared the government’s intention to extend the deportation campaign even to those with legal documents. Despite lacking the authority to make policy decisions, he emphasized that the process would persist beyond the upcoming elections in February.
A shocking revelation came as the minister claimed that six terrorists killed in Zhob last week were Afghan nationals. He linked the surge in terrorism incidents in Pakistan to the establishment of the new Taliban government in Afghanistan two years ago.
Highlighting the gravity of the situation, the Balochistan government disclosed blocking around 100,000 fake Computerised National Identity Cards (CNICs) in two districts, vowing to take action against officials involved in their issuance to illegal immigrants. Similar measures were reported in Sindh, where 20,000 fake CNICs were reportedly blocked.
Collaborating with the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), the provincial government claimed to have sent back 80,000 illegal Afghan immigrants from Balochistan, with plans to accelerate the deportation process in the coming days.
Amidst these developments, Maulana Fazlur Rehman, the chief of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI-F), criticized the handling of the refugee issue. Demanding the formation of a bilateral commission, he stressed the need for dialogue and cooperation between Pakistan and Afghanistan, asserting that unilateral decisions do not serve the interests of either nation.
In a surprising move, the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) postponed its visit to Khyber district due to a purported threat alert issued by the interior ministry. The cancellation highlighted the delicate security situation, raising concerns about potential attacks on government installations and soft targets.
Meanwhile, the voluntary repatriation of undocumented Afghan immigrants continued, with 3,035 individuals leaving via the Torkham border crossing and an additional 3,056 departing through the Angoor Adda border crossing in South Waziristan. This comes nine days after the voluntary repatriation deadline expired on October 31.
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