Nationwide campaign for deportation of illegal foreigners started, 7,380 to be deported through Torkham border by tomorrow: Spokesman Home Dept.
PESHAWAR (APP); A nationwide campaign for deportation of illegal foreigners were started on Wednesday after expiry of the Oct 31 deadline and about 7,380 undocumented immigrants registered today would be deported by tomorrow via Torkham border.
An influx of immigrants mostly Afghans are coming from Islamabad and Punjab province to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa where three holding camps were setup for verification and documentation process before their deportation to their home countries.
On the first day, a substantial number of illegal foreigners mostly Afghans came from different cities Punjab province to holding camp Landikotal, situated some eight kilometers of Torkham border that connect Khyber district of Khyber Pakthunkhwa and Afghanistan.
“Till 10 p.m, 7380 illegal immigrants were registered at Landikotal camp whose deportation to be completed by tomorrow,” said Lateefur Rehman, spokesman of KP Home Department while talking to APP.
According to Interior Ministry, more than four million Afghans were living in Pakistan for the last four decades out of whom about 1.7 million are unregistered.
Lateef said shifting of illegal foreigners to holding camps at Landikotal, Peshawar and Haripur would continue through Torkham while illegal immigrants are also being deported through Angor Ada South Waziristan, Kharlachi Kurram and Ghulam Khan North Waziristan authorized border points.
He said shifting of 7500 illegal immigrants were set for today and till 10 p.m, 7380 undocumented foreigners were registered at Landikotal holding camp where free food, water and shelters were being provided.
He said Wednesday and Thursday were reserved for repatriation of the detained illegal foreigners coming from Islamabad, Gilgit Baltistan and Azad Kashmir, Friday and Saturday for Punjab and Sunday, Monday and Tuesday for KP whom would be repatriated through Torkham border.
The spokesman said that free transport were also being provided to illegal immigrants upto Torkham border.
As many as 52 illegal foreigners charged under 14 foreign act were moved from central jail Peshawar to holding area for documentation process, he added.
These foreigners were jailed for illegal stay and other petty nature cases and shifted to holding area of Landi Kotal and Peshawar from where they would be transported to their countries after completion of legal formalities.
He said that 62 illegal immigrants moved from Islamabad and Rawalpindi through two buses have been reached to Landi Kotal in District Khyber till 1:30pm.
NADRA verification at Landi Kotal is in process through 15 vans and more such vans were being arranged owing to heavy influx of illegal immigrants.
He said that additional three vans were arranged by NADRA for verification today.
Under Integrated Border Management System (IBMS), the total capacity of FIA staff at Torkham is 2500 while eight additional staff was deployed for smooth repatriation of illegal immigrants.
At Angoor Ada South Wazirstan, FIA’s staff total capacity 1000 while seven additional staff deployed besides 1000 employees each at Khalachi Kurram and Ghulam Khan in North Waziristan cross points with seven additional staff respectively.
He said IBMS was put in place and no foreigner would be allowed to enter Pakistan unless he showed a valid legal document including visa and passport from November 1 and onward.
He said the interior ministry has issued clear instructions to all provinces to deport illegal foreigners under the Foreigners Act.
The identification process of over 52,000 illegal immigrants residing in different districts of KP has been completed
The operations would be initiated in KP where majority illegal foreigners especially Afghans live to be deported as their data is being checked by FIA, police and other relevant authorities through scanning and other immigration process.
The spokesman said a modern control room set up at Home Department was mointoring the entire process, coordinating with all relevant stakeholders and address complaints .
