ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Interior Minister Sarfraz Bugti on Friday said that any legally residing Afghans involved in political activities in the country would face deportation.
In November, the government launched a nationwide campaign to voluntarily repatriate illegal foreign nationals, primarily Afghans.
Out of the over four million Afghans residing in Pakistan, the government estimates that 1.7 million lack proper documentation. Thousands of Afghans have returned home through the Torkham and Chaman border crossings since Pakistan launched the repatriation process.
Addressing a press conference, the Interior Minister provided an update on the deportation campaign, stating that the government had formulated a new policy for legal Afghan residents, particularly refugees with Afghan Citizen Cards or other relevant identification. Bugti said that individuals falling under this category are not permitted to engage in any political activities in Pakistan, with around 10 individuals initially identified and growing numbers involved in political activities being subject to deportation.
The minister affirmed that the policy would be universally applied to all categories of Afghans with legal documentation, including those with business or tourist visas.
Pakistan Policy for Refugees Ahead of Elections
He clarified that individuals holding visas from other countries, regardless of their visa type or status, would also face expulsion if engaged in political activities. With the approaching February 8 general elections, he stated that such individuals would be promptly deported, and efforts were underway to locate them, with an updated count expected within a week.
Bugti emphasized the right of Pakistanis to engage in politics while adhering to the Constitution. Regarding the deportation drive, he reported that 482,845 people had left the country, with approximately 90% returning voluntarily.
The Interior Minister said that the first phase of the deportation drive was ongoing, and he reiterated that in the second stage, adding that everyone would have to return, envisioning a time when only Pakistanis would reside in the country. He stressed the necessity for legal entry to Pakistan.
