Pakistan has accelerated the process of geotagging and tracking illegal Afghan immigrants in the country, and a survey has also been issued for their return home.

On Tuesday, caretaker Interior Minister Sarfaraz Bugti had said that Pakistan had given a deadline of November 1 to the foreigners living in the country illegally.

His statement came after the national apex committee meeting wherein important decisions were taken regarding the law and order situation in the country.

Significant progress has now been made in this regard, and a survey has been issued to track and return the illegally residing Afghan nationals.

Punjab

A recent Fourth Schedule Mapping of Punjab by the police and security institutions has identified 2,291 trained Afghan extremists, while 541 persons released from Afghan jails have also been included in the watch list.

According to police records, the number of cardholders and documented registered Afghans in Punjab is more than 275,000, while there is no record of over-stayers and illegal Afghan residents. Out of these, 88,295 are Afghan citizen card-holders, while 186,904 possess proof of registration card.

According to Punjab Inspector General of Police Dr Usman Anwar, they were trying to systematically repatriate illegal Afghans as per the government policy.

In an exclusive conversation with Samaa TV, the IGP said terrorism could not be attributed to any country, adding that suicide bombers, their financiers, and masterminds must be arrested. Neighbours could not be changed, while card-holders and illegal residents would be dealt with under the law.

Meanwhile, caretaker Punjab Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi has directed the police to gather data on the issue of repatriation of illegal immigrants. He issued directions to the Punjab police chief and all regional police officers and told them to properly verify identity cards of the illegal immigrants.

Sources said that the chief minister ordered to block any incorrect identity cards. The police should collect the data of illegal immigrants through an effective operation.

Mohsin Naqvi insisted that no illegal immigrant should be meted out favourable treatment.

The Punjab government had decided to conduct the operation after Tuesday’s national apex committee meeting.

Karachi

On the other hand, it has been decided to crack down on Afghan immigrants residing illegally in Karachi.

According to sources, a grand operation will be launched against illegal Afghan immigrants, in which details of the immigrants living in the suburbs will be checked.

According to a police report, there are a million Afghans in Sindh, most of whom live in Karachi.

Sources say that the grand operation in Karachi will be information-based and the Afghans who came to Pakistan illegally will be deported. In this regard, sensitive institutions, police, and the Federal Investigation Agency officials will share information.

The presence of those immigrants possessing alien cards, the reasons, and details will also be checked.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

The KP authorities are also collecting data of unregistered Afghans, according to which the number of registered Afghan residents in the province is 700,000 and Afghan citizen card-holders is 650,000.

According to the estimates provided by the authorities, there are 500,000 unregistered Afghans in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, while 26 Afghans were arrested by the police this year in street crime, 28 Afghans were allegedly found involved in murders, and a large number of 331 were arrested over involvement in drug trade.

Balochistan

Moreover, the number of registered Afghan refugees in Balochistan is 327,224 and the ratio of unregistered Afghan refugees is 14.3%.

According to the Afghan Refugees Quetta commissioner, most of the refugees are settled in residential areas outside the refugee camps. A large number of refugees is doing business on the basis of national identity card and OPF.

Five centres have been established for the registration of Afghan refugees across Balochistan, including in the provincial capital Quetta.