Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 11:35am on 30 Oct 2023,Monday International
Pakistan will start expelling undocumented immigrants in phases from November 1, interim Interior Minister Sarfraz Bugti said on Monday. Over 20,000 illegal foreigners have left voluntarily in recent days after the deadline was set for them to leave by October 31. Bugti said provincial governments will aid the operation against illegal immigrants. He clarified that in the first phase, people without travel documents will be deported. Many of the immigrants, including around 1.7 million Afghans, have lived in Pakistan for years. Holding centers with basic facilities have been set up. The UN refugee agency criticized the decision, but Pakistan says it is compliant with international norms. The Foreign Office said legal residents are exempt and Pakistan remains committed to hosting refugees.
