Deadline for illegal immigrants to leave Ends today

Pakistan has always been committed to helping its fellow Muslim nations. After the Soviet war, Pakistan has housed more than 4 million Afghan refugees for more than 40 years till now. However, recently the government has issued a notice that all illegal immigrants are to leave the country before November 1. 

Deadline for illegal Immigrants

Earlier this month, the notification issued stated that all illegal immigrants have the time till 31st October, 2023 to leave the country. If the illegal immigrants are not to leave the country by 31st October, they would be deported from Pakistan by force.

Pakistan has done a great deed by providing refuge to more than 4 million Afghan refugees for more than 40 years. The government stated that all actions that are being taken are according to the International law. 

After the deadline ends which is today, Punjab IG has stated that they will start a nationwide operation for the deportation of illegal immigrants. The operation will commence properly from November 4th, 2023, and all illegal immigrants will be taken from Rawalpindi, Lahore, and Faisalabad. 

They will be held at Holding centres. The reason for the stay at holding centres is to complete some documentation and they will be sent back to their country. 

Figures of illegal migrants leaving

The figures haven’t seen a significant rise as out of 4 million only 4,736 families have left by now. Reports suggest that almost 60,000 people have left by now but that number is nothing compared to the 4 million that Pakistan has harbored.

According to sources, buses have started transporting refugees through the border from Karachi and several other borders. Although many of the refugees are not leaving at the moment, the government has issued a strict statement that they will be taken by ore and deported after the deadline ends.

The government also stated that the elderly people will be met with the utmost care and respect. Moreover, the crackdown will start earliest in November as the government also stated that any individual who aids and abets the illegal immigrants to forge fake identities will be severely punished.

Moreover, the UK has said that they will take 2,000 refugees and harbor them. They will be sent over flights from Pakistan to the UK. 

Reason for Expulsion of Refugees

There are several reasons for the expulsion of Afghan refugees. For starters, Pakistan has been facing a lot of economical issues during the last few years and the government claims that the illegal immigrants have been draining Pakistan’s resources for a long time now. 

There have been many illegal activities in which Afghan refugees have been involved and caught such smuggling and drug deals alongside suicide bombings.

The government states that they have fulfilled their moral obligation of harboring refugees at a time of war and its time they went back as more than 1.7 million are illegal refugees without any official or legal documentation.