Pakistan to ramp up action against illegal foreigners, power theft and begging mafia
Listen to article
Pakistan's government will intensify operations targeting undocumented foreign nationals, electricity theft, and organised street begging, state broadcaster PTV reported on Saturday, citing the Interior Ministry.
The decision followed a high-level security meeting chaired by Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi — the third such session under the Counter-Terrorism Committee and the Harden the State Committee. The meeting focused on enhancing inter-agency coordination to curb illicit activities posing a threat to internal stability.
Minister Naqvi stated that the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) would enable real-time data verification at border exit points.
Read: Iran border to stay open 24/7 during Muharram, Arbaeen
He also urged strict implementation of the 'One Document Regime' and proposed declaring street begging a non-bailable offence, calling the so-called begging mafia a blot on the country's reputation.
Support is also being extended to the Ministry of Energy to combat power theft, which has seen Rs. 142 billion recovered in joint efforts with provincial administrations, a ministry official reported.
More than 250 intelligence-based operations are now being conducted daily across the country, targeting various forms of organised illegality.
The session also reviewed progress on anti-encroachment drives, digital fuel pump regulation, and the upcoming establishment of the Pakistan Port Authority.
Developments in the Gwadar City Safe City Project, including the construction of a protection wall and deployment of digital enforcement stations on the Indus River, were discussed.
Efforts to install an Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) for highway surveillance and a new legal mechanism allowing customs officers and deputy commissioners to seal petrol stations selling illegal fuel were also outlined.
Among those in attendance were Minister of State for Interior Tallal Chaudhry, Punjab Law Minister Sohaib Ahmed Bharti, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Information Advisor Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif, and Gilgit-Baltistan's Interior Minister.
Also present were top officials from the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA), and security agencies nationwide.
Read More: Begging abroad to be treated as terrorism
Last week, Minister Naqvi presided over a key meeting where decisive actions were approved against Pakistani nationals deported from other countries.
It was agreed that First Information Reports (FIRs) will be filed against all deportees, their passports will be revoked, and their names will be added to the Passport Control List for a duration of five years.
Highlighting the damage caused to the country's global standing, Minister Naqvi stated that deportees have become a source of diplomatic embarrassment and that the state will now adopt a zero-tolerance approach toward such individuals.
R: 2,239 Afghans deported via Torkham
Meanwhile, Pakistan has continued deporting Afghan refugees as part of a broader campaign targeting illegal residency. In addition to deportations at the border, enforcement actions have been stepped up in urban centres.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Express Tribune
8 hours ago
- Express Tribune
Govt challenges K-Electric tariff in NEPRA review
Additional concerns were raised over capacity payments to K-Electric's power plants, projected to cost over Rs 82b. PHOTO: FILE Listen to article The federal government has filed a formal review petition with the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) challenging the tariff set for K-Electric, expressing strong reservations over what it calls an unfair financial burden on both the national treasury and power consumers. In its submission, the Ministry of Energy argued that the tariff granted to K-Electric for electricity sourced from the national grid is disproportionately high compared to other power distribution companies. The ministry warned that this elevated rate could impose an estimated Rs59 billion burden on the federal budget over the next two years. The petition also objected to the inclusion of recovery losses in K-Electric's tariff, stating that this would result in an additional Rs200 billion being passed on to consumers over a seven-year period. The government expressed concerns over what it described as preferential treatment. It pointed out that NEPRA approved a 13.90% loss threshold for K-Electric—exceeding the company's actual demand—and granted a special law and order margin of 2%, not extended to other companies. Furthermore, the petition criticised the approval of a 12% return on equity in US dollars, which is expected to add another Rs37 billion burden during the current tariff period. Additional concerns were raised over capacity payments to K-Electric's power plants, projected to cost over Rs82 billion. According to the Ministry of Energy, NEPRA's decision could lead to a significant rise in electricity bills for Karachi consumers and may set a precedent for a 'dual system' that favours one provider over others. The federal government has requested NEPRA to ensure uniform treatment across all power distribution companies in Pakistan, emphasising fairness and economic sustainability.
Business Recorder
16 hours ago
- Business Recorder
Italian Republic Day: Message from Marilina Armellin, Ambassador of Italy to Pakistan
June 2nd commemorates, not the creation of Italy as a modern state in 1861, but the momentous popular vote in 1946 when Italians chose the Republic over the Monarchy and elected the Constitutional Assembly that was to write our Constitutional Charter. It was one of the first democratic constitutions written after the tragedy of World War Two, widely seen as a model for many other countries going through a similar democratization process. June 2nd is truly the National Day of the people of Italy. One of the first acts of the Italian Republic in international relations was to establish diplomatic relations with the newly born Islamic Republic of Pakistan, one of the first four European countries to do so. Since then, our two Countries have cultivated a deep-seated friendship. 2025 has witnessed a conspicuous uptick in our bilateral strategic partnership, with a number of consultations and exchange of visits at the highest political level. After the visit to Rome of the Minister of Interior of Pakistan, Hon. MohsinNaqvi, and the Minister of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development, Hon. ChaudhrySalikHussain, in June 2024, the Minister of Interior of Italy, Hon. MatteoPiantedosi, visited Islamabad on May 6th and 7th 2025. The tangible outcome of this exchange of visits was the signature of two bilateral instruments of paramount importance: the 'Declaration on the establishment of the Joint Committee on promoting cooperation in preventing and combating transnational organized crime' and the 'Memorandum of Understanding on Migration and Labour Mobility'. These agreements are milestones that open to the many talented Pakistani youth a sound legal pathway to settle in Italy and contribute to the well-being of our society but also to that of Pakistan through their remittances. In 2024, the flow of remittances from Italy to Pakistan amounted to around 580 million euros, a testament to the deep-rooted people-to-people connections between our two countries. Italy remains home to the largest Pakistani community in the European Union, an industrious diaspora, dotted with several excellencies in entrepreneurship, research, education, craftmanship, and even literature. At the same time, the Ministers of Interior of our two Countries reaffirmed their resolute intent to strengthen their cooperation and information exchange to counter, not only structured migrant trafficking organizations, but also so-called facilitators. In 2025, Pakistani nationals constitute the third largest nationality landing illegaly in Italy (after Bangladesh and Eritrea), with 1,716 arrivals, compared to 690 in the same period in 2024. The geopolitical landscape is quickly evolving, and deepening mutual understanding on key international issues is also critical. On February 28th 2025, Rome hosted the sixth round of Bilateral Political Consultations between the Secretary General of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Relations, H.E. Ambassador Riccardo Guariglia, and the Pakistani Foreign Secretary, H.E. Ambassador AmnaBaloch, in preparation for possible other political visits to Pakistan. A wide range of bilateral and regional issues were discussed, such as the Middle East and Ukraine, reflecting the scope and depth of our mutual interests. Other landmark events have invigorated the friendship between Italy and Pakistan over the last year. In the second half of 2024 the port of Karachi welcomed for the fourth and fifth time in recent years the visit of Italian naval ships. While three other Italian ships – FREMM Margottini, FREMM Carabiniere and multi-purpose ship Morosini – had already visited in past years the economic capital of Pakistan, always with a significative official delegation from the Italian Navy, October 2024 saw the exceptional docking in Karachi, for the first time, of our Carrier Strike Group: aircraft carrier Cavour and frigate Alpino. In December 2024, Karachi hosted the iconic sailing ship of the Italian Navy, beautiful Amerigo Vespucci. Italian technological advancements, including the defense sector, have been manifold in recent times, and Italy is part of a small group of Nations able to deploy a Carrier Strike Group with air and naval assets that can guarantee the security of international spaces and freedom of navigation. Italy does not ignore the mounting risks arising from Pakistan's unsettled bilateral relationships with its neighbors, within the broader context of increasing global tensions. In keeping with our doctrine of the enlarged Mediterranean, Italy has gradually increased the level of relationships with the Asia-Pacific region, demonstrating her intention to pursue the protection of trade routes to Suez (essential to our trade) and the principle of freedom of navigation. Italian engagement, including participation in military exercises in the Pacific, as well as the round-the-world voyage of ship Vespucci, make visible Rome's active commitment to strengthening ties with allies and partners in the region. In this regard, Italy considers Pakistan as an indispensable strategic partner in the region, and in this light we should view the growing ties between the defense industries of both countries – let me just highlight the Italian participation in several exercises/event like Aman, PIMEC, IDEAS. In particular, the presence of the Italian major national defense companies alongside their Pakistani counterparts at IDEAS and during the visits of our naval ships signals our willingness to get to know each other better, exchange views, and explore possible further avenues for collaboration. Whilst you can refer to the articles by the Director of the Italian Cooperation Agency and the Trade Commissioner for more details on the latest development projects and some stories of economic and business success, there would be something amiss here if I did not expand on the intensity and tenacity of our bilateral cultural ties. In 2025, the Italian Archaeological Mission in Pakistan blows out 70 candles on its birthday cake. It was in 1955 that Italian archaeologists first fell in love with Swat, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province. Especially Professor Giuseppe Tucci, a world-class scholar in Tibetan and Buddhist studies, who first understood the significance of this chunk of Swat Valley, roamed by buffaloes and goats. Since then, Italian archaeologists have continuously worked in the region, playing a key role in unearthing the roots of the Indo-Pakistani subcontinent. Italian experts have made ground-breaking discoveries, including the unearthing of the ancient city of Bazira and the stunning painted pottery from the Chalcolithic period. Over the years, we have worked tirelessly with incredibly motivated Pakistani counterparts, especially in KPK, to preserve the country's cultural treasures. In 2014, the Italian Government launched the unique "Debt for Heritage" initiative, which enabled us to restore and rebuild several archaeological sites, including the Swat Museum and the colossal Jahanabad Buddha. In 2021, yet one big surprise. Excavations revealed the complete ShahiVishnuite temple in Barikot, including its podium, floors, and striking marble decorations from the TurkiShahi period. By the end of the excavations, over 2,200 objects, including sculptures, coins, inscriptions, ceramics, ornaments, iron weapons, and stone tools, were found, restored, and handed over to the Swat Museum. But Italy has not only worked in KPK. In Sindh, an imposing citadel with 55 towers surrounds the site of Banbhore, not far from Thatta, on the banks of what used to be a branch of the Indus Delta. It is not an overstatement to say that Banbhore was like the Dubai of its era, such a cosmopolitan place that Greek, Latin, Aramaic, Persian, and Arabic sources all mention it, and remnants of religious buildings show that Buddhism, Hinduism, and Islam co-existed peacefully for a long time. This ancient city, now an archaeological park of over 64 acres, served as a vital harbour town and market on the monsoon routes of the Indian Ocean. It connected eastern Africa with the Hindu-Iranian regions, and the Orient (China and Inner/Central Asia) with the Occident (the Roman empire and Byzantium). The site's history spans about 15 centuries, from the 3rd-4th Century BCE until the 12th–early 13th Century CE, connecting Banbhore to northern regions and Inner-Central Asia well before the Muslim faith arrived in Pakistan. Italian missions have been unearthing archaeological evidence that confirms Banbhore's major role since pre-Islamic times through the Parthian-Kushan, Saka, and Sasanian eras. In Islamic times, the site served as a key outlet to the sea for the Arab Abbasid Province of Great Sindh and later the Habbari Emirate. With the disintegration of the Emirate in the early 11th Century, Banbhore became the capital of an autonomous dominion, while maintaining for a couple of centuries its significance as harbour town and market for luxury goods, until the Indus River changed its course and sadly condemned the site to a slow death. Many more achievements could be mentioned, but more importantly much more can be done. With the Italian team in Islamabad and Karachi, I renew my commitment to broaden and strengthen the bonds between the two Countries and Peoples. Viva la Repubblica italiana! Pak-Italy dostizindabad! Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Express Tribune
21 hours ago
- Express Tribune
Crackdown on illegal cattle markets
An illegal cattle market springs up on New MA Jinnah Road, causing major traffic disruptions. Despite clear bans, authorities appear slow to act as vendors crowd the busy thoroughfare ahead of Eid. PHOTO: Jala Qureshi Express Administrative officials have launched a vigorous crackdown on unauthorised cattle markets across the metropolis, particularly in District East. The campaign, initiated on the directives of Commissioner Syed Hassan Naqvi, aims to curb the unauthorised establishment of animal markets that pose public health and safety risks. According to Commissioner Naqvi, operations against illegal cattle markets are being carried out with full force. In District East alone, action has been taken against 41 unauthorised markets, resulting in the registration of 51 FIRs and the arrest of 137 people. Over the past two days, authorities have acted against 22 new illegal cattle markets in the district. During these operations, 21 FIRs were registered and 63 people were taken into custody. Moreover, 17 animals were seized. Commissioner Naqvi said that illegal cattle markets contribute to serious issues, including traffic congestion, sanitation challenges, and public health risks. He reaffirmed the administration's resolve to ensure that only officially designated cattle markets operate within the metropolis. "The campaign against illegal markets will continue in the coming days without any leniency," he said.
