ISLAMABAD:
Caretaker Interior Minister Sarfraz Bugti declared on Tuesday that all foreign nationals, including millions of Afghans, living illegally in the country have until November 1 to depart willingly or risk deportation.
The “one document regime” for Afghanistan was implemented as part of a package of counterterrorism measures endorsed by civilian and military officials in response to growing terrorist occurrences.
Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar presided over a meeting of the National Action Plan’s top committee to discuss the current security situation. General Asim Munir, head of the army, met with cabinet ministers and other top security personnel.
Terrorist assaults had recently increased, and tensions had been building with Afghanistan due to that country’s reluctance to take any action against the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
Through a number of new steps, Pakistan appears to be sending the interim Afghan government a message that “business as usual” with the neighbouring country will not continue.
The discussion concluded with the federal government deciding to expel all illegal foreign nationals residing in Pakistan as of November 1, the interior minister briefed media following the meeting.
A deadline of 28 days has been set for all unlawful foreign nationals to depart Pakistan, he said.
The government did not specifically name Pakistan, but the hundreds of thousands of Afghans residing there illegally are the clear target. There may be as many as 1.1 million undocumented Afghans currently living in the United States. They lack the necessary paperwork and other legal methods of remaining in the nation.
After November 1, Bugti claimed all of the state’s law enforcement authorities would be called into action to expel unlawful foreign nationals. “If they don’t leave, then the federal and provincial police will be used to deport them,” the document reads.
The minister has promised that as of November 1 all unlawful nationals will be deported and their homes and businesses will be seized.
He went on to say that any Pakistani national conducting illicit business or acquiring substantial assets from unlawful foreign nationals will be subject to judicial action.
The minister also revealed that the Interior Ministry had formed a task force to implement and track the planned measures. He emphasised that the government’s top priority is ensuring the security of the Pakistani people.
During decades of war, millions of Afghans have fled to Pakistan, where many are forced to live in refugee camps with limited opportunities for education, healthcare, and job. Since the Taliban took over in Kabul in August 2021, an estimated 600,000. Many are attempting to enter safer third-world countries as refugees.
Bugti told the press that since January there have been 24 suicide attacks, 14 of which were carried out by Afghan nationals. “There is no two opinions that we are attacked from within Afghanistan and that Afghan nationals are involved in attacks on us,” he claimed. “We’ve got proof”
Pakistan has promised to deport all Afghans before, but these campaigns have fizzled out after a few months or after talks between the two capitals.
The “one document regime” for Afghans visiting Pakistan was also a crucial decision endorsed by the apex committee. Beginning on October 10th, only those holding an e-Tazkirah will be able to travel, while those with manual paperwork would be denied.
From the beginning of the following month, however, Afghans who seek to enter Pakistan will be required to have valid visas. “Any other forms of identification that were previously acceptable for travel purposes are now invalid.”
Thousands of Afghans rely on Tazkirah to travel between their home country and Pakistan.
Bugti assured the public that efforts were being made to improve NADRA’s efficiency. He was appalled by earlier instances of fraud in which national identity cards had been forged by foreigners to forge illegal travel credentials.
By falsely adding a foreign national to the family tree of a legitimate Pakistani citizen, he revealed the illegal practises to obtain Pakistani identity.
To further tighten the noose around unlawful foreign nationals, the minister also declared that DNA tests of questionable persons would be conducted. He stated that a website was being created that would provide a Universal Access Number so that any Pakistani citizen could report illegal immigrants and other criminal activities such as smuggling and hoarding. He assured them that the informant’s identity would be protected and that he would receive compensation.
To combat issues like smuggling and stockpiling across the country, the minister added that joint checkpoints have been set up at the borders of the provinces. He promised swift action against those responsible for theft of energy, Hawala, Hundi, and smuggling.
Bugti has announced that the federal capital will soon house a Counter Narcotics Centre in response to growing narcotics use, particularly among young people.
The minister reaffirmed that all minorities would be safeguarded, saying that “Islam gives lessons to provide protection to minorities” and that “no group or individual” would be allowed to oppress them.
The context in which all of these actions must be understood, however, is the ongoing conflict between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Pakistan is frustrated by the Tehreek-e-Taliban’s (TTP) continuous terrorist assaults across the border. Frustration in Islamabad stems from the Afghan Taliban’s failure to take action against the TTP.
