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Pakistan issues last warning to illegal immigrants to leave
Pakistan issues last warning to illegal immigrants to leave
Pakistan on Thursday gave a last warning to all illegal immigrants in the country, including hundreds of thousands of Afghan nationals, to leave voluntarily before a Nov. 1 deadline.
The Interim Interior Minister Sarfraz Bugti said at a news conference on Thursday that Pakistan was determined to go ahead with a plan to remove all undocumented immigrants after Nov. 1.
The minister said the decision was taken after Afghan nationals were found to be involved in crimes, smuggling and attacks against the government and the army, including 14 out of 24 suicide bombings this year.
“All the illegal immigrants have been identified. The state has complete data.
“I want to appeal one more time that all the illegal immigrants should leave voluntarily by the deadline,” said Bugti.
Bugti warned that law enforcement agencies would start an operation to remove people after the expiry of the deadline.
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He also said action would be taken against anyone found involved in facilitating or hiding the immigrants.
The immigrants, mostly Afghans, many of whom have lived in Pakistan for years, would be processed at temporary centres being set up by the government.
Those leaving voluntarily would be helped to leave Pakistan, such as preparation of their documents, permission to exchange currency and transportation.
Pakistan has received the largest influx of Afghan refugees since the Soviet invasion of Kabul in 1979.
Hundreds of thousands of Afghans moved to Pakistan to escape war and conflicts, and many are registered as refugees with the government and UN agencies.
The expulsion plan marks a new low in relations between the South Asian neighbours after border clashes in recent months.
Islamabad alleges that the militants use Afghan soil to train fighters and plan attacks inside Pakistan, a charge Kabul denies, saying Pakistani security is a domestic issue.