Sindh Caretaker Home Minister Brigadier Haris Nawaz (Retd) has said that the government has expelled Chinese, Bangladesh, and Indian nationals who were living illegally in Pakistan.
Speaking to the media in Karachi, Nawaz said that the authorities expelled two Chinese, 24 Bangladesh, and Indian nationals from Pakistan after they were found living illegally in the country. He went on to add that the government was not only targeting illegal Afghan immigrants but also taking action against people of different nationalities including India, China, and Bangladesh among others.
Reports said that over 200,000 undocumented refugees were sent back across the border to Afghanistan. The government had set November 1 deadline for Afghan refugees to leave the country, as part of the government’s crackdown on illegal immigrants.
Hours before the deadline, Pakistani authorities started rounding up foreigners, most of them Afghans. Undocumented people who do not leave face arrest and forcible expulsion. Pakistan exempts Afghans awaiting resettlement to US from deportation
The authorities said they were open to delaying repatriation for people with health or other issues that would bar them from travelling.
Meanwhile, the government extended the Proof of Registration card for Afghan citizens by six months. Reports said that the decision was taken by the cabinet by approving a summary sent by the Ministry of States and Frontier Regions on Wednesday.
The extension will be in effect from July 1 to December 31, 2023. The POR cards had expired on June 30.
