• More than 1,600 already repatriated, over 5,000 held for processing before heading to border
• Officials maintain they are following international laws on illegal aliens
• Afghans complain of ‘rushed’ expulsions
LAHORE / KARACHI / RAWALPINDI: As part of the ongoing process, 1,636 Afghan nationals were deported from Punjab and Sindh on Sunday.
The largest transfer took place in Punjab where 5,111 other Afghan nationals were transported to the transit camps or holding centres across the province for repatriation, including 2,301 children and 1,120 women.
A majority of them carried Afghan Citizen Cards (ACC) that NADRA had issued them after getting each case verified from the FIA, police and other agencies.
An official told Dawn security agencies had identified 100,000 Afghans living illegally in over 150 ‘Afghan Colonies’ across the province. He said there are four categories of Afghan residents.
One of them are refugees settled all across the country under the UNHCR mandate.
Being a signatory to the Geneva Convention, Pakistan is bound to grant them legal protection, he said, adding that those are not being repatriated as per the international commitments.
The Afghans with valid legal documents would also not be deported.
The official said that the 100,000, marked to be repatriated, fall under the third and fourth categories.
A majority of them carried ACCs while others did not have any legal document.
In January, the Punjab government had directed them to leave by March 31, he recalled.
“We first located them in more than 150 Afghan Colonies including seven identified in Lahore’s various vicinities, then traced and communicated to them the government’s instruction/decision,” Additional IG Police Punjab Waqas Nazeer told Dawn.
He said it was a tedious task to reach such residents, adding that District Police Officers (DPOs), who were directed to comply with the government’s instructions, on Sunday shifted 1,336 Afghans to the 46 holding centres established across the province.
They were transported to Landi Kotal on designated buses, handed over to the local administration and then deported to Afghanistan the same day.
He also said that police shifted 5,111 other Afghans to the transit camps/holding centres.
Mr Waqas said that after due verification they would also be transported to KP for repatriation to their home country.
He said all Afghan residents were medically examined at the centres before their repatriation.
“The government was following international responsibilities and commitments defined for taking care of the illegally settled foreigners before deporting them to their country,” he said.
Separately, Punjab police chief Dr Usman Anwar held a high-level meeting on Sunday to review matters pertaining to the repatriation of the Afghans living illegally in the province.
Addressing the meeting, he said all illegal residents were provided security before their repatriation from Punjab.
He pointed out that arrangements for transportation, logistics, and food were the responsibility of the relevant district administration.
Sudden implementation
Talking to Dawn at the Hassanabdal holding centre, many Afghans expressed dissatisfaction with the “sudden implementation” of the deportation orders.
They said they are peaceful and law abiding people but paying the price of being Afghan nationals.
They said that they sold all their belongings at throwaway prices and packed up their businesses in haste which left them in loss worth millions of rupees.
Jhelum DPO Tariq Aziz said these Afghans were being provided with bedding, food, juices etc.
The DPO said that 157 Afghans had been boarded on two buses from transit camps at Jhelum and Pind Dadan Khan.
They were provided with edibles before being dispatched to the Torkham border, he added.
A police officer in Rawalpindi said crackdown against illegal foreigners will continue. After scrutiny at the holding centre, people carrying ACCs and illegal residents will be sent to Afghanistan.
On Sunday, law enforcement agencies rounded up 736 Afghan nationals, including 140 women and 164 children and shifted them to the Afghan refugee camp near Golra Mor.
Of the 736 people, 179 were deported to Afghanistan. One of the women, who complained
about heart pain, was referred to the Rawalpindi Institute of Cardiology. However, she was yet to be shifted to the hospital, the sources said.
Likewise, police continued crackdowns in Murree and rounded up 13 Afghans, and shifted them to the refugee camp near Golra Mor.
Sindh situation
Meanwhile, over 300 Afghans were sent to their home country from Karachi, officials said.
Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon said that those deported included 79 children, 37 women, and 191 men.
He explained these people were deported due to their illegal residence in the country.
Speaking to Dawn, South DIG Syed Asad Raza said that 409 Afghan citizen card holders were brought to the holding point namely Ameen House in Sultanabad from different parts of Karachi between April 1 and to 6.
Out of them, 102 were returned to the police stations concerned as they possessed valid papers like PoR (Proof of Registration).
Thus, a total of 307 Afghan citizen card holders left Karachi on Saturday night by buses for Afghanistan accompanied by law enforcement officials.
In a statement, Mr Memon emphasised that the campaign to deport illegal immigrants will continue, adding that international laws and regulations are being strictly followed in this process.
