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First Post
15-05-2025
- Politics
- First Post
Saudi Arabia has deported over 5,000 Pakistani beggars, interior minister tells parliament
Pakistan's Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi informed the country's National Assembly that Saudi Arabia has deported a total of 5,033 Pakistani beggars in the last 16 months read more An elderly man takes cover from cold weather while begging in front of Lohari Gate in Lahore. File Image / Reuters A total of 5,033 Pakistani beggars were deported from Saudi Arabia in the span of 16 months, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi told the National Assembly on Wednesday. The remarks from Naqvi came as a written reply to a question raised by Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) MNA Sehar Kamran, Dawn reported. In the written response, Naqvi noted that another 369 individuals have been apprehended for begging in five other countries, mainly in West Asia. The data provided by the minister showed that a total of 5,402 Pakistanis have been deported from Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Malaysia, Oman, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) since January 2024. Whereas, 552 have returned to Pakistan this year. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Interestingly, Kamran sought data for the last three years, but the minister provided the details of the period starting from January 2024. According to the province-wise break-up, the data shows that most of those deported from these nations belong to Sindh province. According to Dawn, a total of 2,795 people from the province are among those deported from these countries on begging charges, whereas the number of such people belonging to Punjab stands at 1,437. Saudi Arabia deported the largest number of Pakistani beggars As per the data, as many as 1,002 people deported were from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 125 from Balochistan, 33 from Azad Kashmir and 10 from Islamabad. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia has the highest number of Pakistanis repatriated from it. The second is from Iraq, where 247 Pakistanis were sent back home. Meanwhile, the UAE, which raised the issue with the Pakistani government, was third on the list. It is pertinent to note that the UAE has imposed strict restrictions on visas for Pakistani nationals. Despite all the measures, the country has so far deported 58 such individuals during this period. Meanwhile, in response to a separate question raised by Anjum Aqeel Khan of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), the interior minister informed the National Assembly that over one million ' illegal Afghans ', including those possessing Afghan Citizen Cards (ACC), had been repatriated since November 2023 under the Illegal Foreigner's Repatriation Plan (IFRP). 'The IFRP has been approved by the federal government. Every sovereign state retains the right to deport illegal foreigners to safeguard its borders and national security," Naqvi said in the response, as reported by Dawn.
Hans India
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
1.3 million Afghan nationals deported from Pakistan since November
As part of the ongoing campaign to deport illegal and Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) holders from Pakistan, the government has repatriated about 1.3 million Afghan nationals since November 2023, Pakistan's Parliamentary Secretary Mukhtar Ahmed Malik said during a meeting. The parliamentary committee overseeing the repatriation drive was informed that the government targetted illegal Afghan nationals living in the country, allowing them the opportunity to leave voluntarily, adding that a parallel operation was launched to crackdown against those who were still present after the deadline of March 31 expired. The committee was told that a warning was issued to all illegal Afghan nationals that they would be deported after the deadline ends. Moreover, the government later on decided to also deport those Afghan nationals who were in possession of Afghan Citizen Card (ACC), thus expanding the domain of the expulsion campaign by the government. Launched in 2017, the ACC grants temporary legal status to Afghan refugees. "There are at least three million Afghan refugees residing in Pakistan. Of these, 813,000 hold Afghan Citizen Cards (ACC) while 1.3 million possess Proof of Registration (PoR) cards," said Mukhtar Ahmed Malik. "Those Afghans who wish to enter Pakistan for medical treatment, education, or business purposes are welcome to do so provided they obtain a Pakistani visa and carry valid documentation with them," he added. On the other hand, there are thousands of Afghan families in Pakistan, who do not wish to go back to Afghanistan, and are demanding the Pakistan government to reconsider their deportation. "I was born in Pakistan, married in Pakistan, have kids in Pakistan. We do not know anything about Afghanistan. My father brought me here when I was a five-year-old. Since then, we are living here," said Rahimullah, an Afghan refugee in Pakistan. "Now, they want us to leave. I ask them, where would we go and what would our children do there? Do they have a future there? We want to request the Pakistan government to reconsider for the sake of the future of our children," he added. Pakistan has been home to over 2.8 million Afghan refugees for over 40 years. However, the deportation drive to expel Afghan nationals from the country began after Islamabad blamed the Afghan Taliban interim government in Kabul for cross-border terrorism supporting and supporting anti-Pakistan groups, including the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). As tensions simmered, Pakistan has made it clear that it would not host Afghan nationals in the country anymore.
Express Tribune
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Proxies core driver of India conflict, NA told
The National Assembly was informed on Wednesday over 90,000 people, including civilians, security personnel and law enforcement officials, lost their lives due to terrorism in the country. Responding to a point of order raised by Sunni Ittehad Council MNA Muhammad Iqbal Khan, Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry said Pakistan has paid a steep price in the war against terror, both in terms of human lives and economic losses, which run into hundreds of billions of dollars. He emphasized that in the aftermath of terrorist attacks, security forces and law enforcement agencies have relentlessly pursued and neutralised the perpetrators to safeguard cities and communities. Addressing concerns over the recent resurgence of terrorist activities, Dr. Tariq raised questions about the underlying causes behind the new wave of violence. He expressed serious concerns about foreign interference, stating that investigations indicate the involvement of Indian-backed proxy groups operating within Pakistan. These groups, he said, are being actively targeted and dismantled by the country's security apparatus. "The core driver of the ongoing conflict with India is the presence of the foreign-sponsored elements. Our forces are engaged in a broader national effort to neutralize such threats," he said. Dr Tariq reiterated the government's commitment to the full implementation of the National Action Plan (NAP), stressing that it is being enforced nationwide. He also highlighted the role of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa chief minister in Apex Committee, where decisions are taken through consensus and inter-agency coordination. The minister clarified that military and law enforcement operations are not arbitrary but are intelligence-driven, targeting areas where terrorists have established safe havens and are planning attacks. "There is a strong, unified demand from the people of Pakistan to eliminate terrorism in all its forms," the minister said. Afghan refugees Parliamentary Secretary Mukhtar Ahmad Malik informed the National Assembly that approximately 1.3 million Afghan refugees have been repatriated from Pakistan so far. Responding to a question raised by MNA Anjum Aqeel Khan during the National Assembly session, Malik stated that around 3 million Afghan refugees had been residing in Pakistan. Of these, 813,000 held Afghan Citizen Cards (ECC), while 1.3 million possessed Proof of Registration (PoR) cards. He emphasised that under the One Document Regime, Afghan nationals who wish to enter Pakistan for medical treatment, education, or business purposes are welcome, provided they obtain the appropriate visa and carry valid documentation. Meanwhile, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) member Shazia Marri praised the Pakistan armed forces for giving a strong and befitting response to Indian aggression, saying it has made the nation proud. Speaking on a point of order in the National Assembly, she said that Pakistani women stand shoulder to shoulder with the military in the defense of the motherland.
Express Tribune
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
1.3 million Afghans repatriated since November, NA told
Afghan nationals wait beside their belongings at the Torkham border's transit point as Pakistan steps up its deportation of undocumented migrants, sending over 2,239 Afghans back across the frontier. PHOTO: ONLINE/ File Listen to article The government has repatriated approximately 1.3 million Afghan refugees in a deportation drive launched since November 2023, Parliamentary Secretary Mukhtar Ahmad Malik said on Wednesday, the Associated Press of Pakistan reported. The government initially said it was first focusing on expelling foreigners with no legal documentation and other categories, such as Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) — a document launched in 2017 to grant temporary legal status to Afghan refugees — would be included later. Responding to a question raised by lawmaker Anjum Aqeel Khan during a parliamentary session, Malik said around 3 million Afghan refugees were residing in Pakistan. 'Of these, 813,000 hold Afghan Citizen Cards (ECC) while 1.3 million possess Proof of Registration (PoR) cards,' he was quoted as saying. He highlighted that Afghan nationals who wish to enter Pakistan for medical treatment, education, or business purposes are welcome to do so provided they obtain a Pakistani visa and carry valid documentation with them. Earlier this year, the country's interior ministry asked all 'illegal foreigners' and ACC holders to leave the country before March 31, warning that they would otherwise be deported from April 1. Authorities subsequently started deporting thousands of Afghan nationals from all parts of the country. In total, Pakistan has hosted over 2.8 million Afghan refugees who crossed the border during 40 years of conflict in their homeland.
Express Tribune
30-04-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Afghan repatriation via Torkham continues
Afghan nationals wait beside their belongings at the Torkham border's transit point as Pakistan steps up its deportation of undocumented migrants, sending over 2,239 Afghans back across the frontier. PHOTO: ONLINE The repatriation process of Afghan nationals has been progressing smoothly since April 1 via the Torkham border crossing. On Wednesday, a total of 1,584 individuals were deported through the Torkham border. These Afghan nationals had been residing in various districts across Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. Among those present at the transit camp, 625 individuals were undocumented, while 716 held Afghan Citizen Cards (ACC). In addition, 243 Afghan citizens, who had been arrested in various cities across Punjab, were directly transferred to the Torkham border for deportation. Since the beginning of the process on April 1, a total of 62,203 undocumented Afghan nationals have been deported from Pakistan. In a major policy decision, Pakistan on March 7 announced that ACC holders had until March 31 to leave the country or face deportation.
