Latest news with #illegalactivities
Malay Mail
10 hours ago
- Malay Mail
In Sabah, man caught logging, burning and farming in protected Lahad Datu area
LAHAD DATU, June 18 — A 59-year-old man was arrested during Op Bakau yesterday for allegedly encroaching into the Lahad Datu Forest Reserve. Lahad Datu Maritime Zone director, Maritime Commander Dzulfikhar Ali, said the joint operation carried out by the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) and the Sabah Forestry Department discovered that 2.02 hectares of land had been encroached upon. 'Checks revealed illegal activities, including mangrove tree logging, open burning, and the planting of oil palm, fruits, and vegetables. A residential house and a swiftlet bird nest structure were also built without permission,' he said in a statement today. The suspect, who is believed to have committed an offence under the Forest Enactment 1968, has been referred to the Lahad Datu Forestry Department for further investigation. Dzulfikhar said the integrated operation is crucial for protecting forest reserves, waterways, and coastal areas while preserving natural ecosystems and ensuring national maritime security. Members of the public with information about criminal activities or emergencies at sea are encouraged to contact the Lahad Datu Maritime Zone via WhatsApp at 016-9305727 or MERS 999. — Bernama
Arab News
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Pakistan to cancel passports, register cases against deported citizens
KARACHI: Pakistan's federal government on Saturday decided to take stringent measures against its citizens deported from other countries for illegal activities by canceling their passports and registering criminal charges, in a bid to curb a growing issue that officials say is tarnishing the country's international image. The move follows mounting complaints, particularly from Middle Eastern countries, about public begging and undocumented migration involving Pakistani nationals. The decision was made at a high-level meeting chaired by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi in Islamabad. 'It was decided during the meeting that FIRs [First Information Reports] would be registered against deported individuals and their passports would also be canceled,' an official statement released after the meeting said. 'The deportees would be placed on the Passport Control List for five years.' Earlier this year, Pakistan's Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) said approximately 4,000 beggars had been deported by Saudi Arabia from 2022 until the end of 2024. 'Deportees are causing embarrassment for Pakistan at international level,' Naqvi said. 'Thus, no leniency will be shown to them in the future.' To further tighten passport regulations, the interior ministry also formed a committee led by the interior secretary. According to the statement, the committee has been tasked with proposing reforms to strengthen the passport issuance process and enforce stricter scrutiny. Last month, over 100 Pakistanis deported from various European countries arrived in Islamabad, with officials indicating that many had been involved in fraudulent or undocumented migration. The latest measures build on earlier actions by the interior ministry aimed at discouraging illegal migration and curbing human trafficking. Naqvi had previously announced plans to block the issuance of new travel documents to deportees and crack down on travel agents implicated in human smuggling.
