Caretaker Minister for Information and Broadcasting Murtaza Solangi has reiterated that the government will not permit illegal immigrants to stay in Pakistan after 31st of this month.
Talking to a private TV channel, he clarified that individuals with legal rights can only reside in Pakistan.
He mentioned three categories of Afghan residents residing in Pakistan currently. The first group comprises of individuals, who arrived in Pakistan in 1978, and had Proof of Registration cards while the second category included those Afghans who had been in Pakistan since 2016 and had Afghan citizen cards verified by the previous government of Afghanistan.
The third group, totaling approximately 1.7 million people, entered into Pakistan after August 15, 2021, adding that among them, some possessed expired visas, while others had entered the country illegally.
To a query, he said most of the illegal immigrants in Pakistan were from Afghanistan.
Murtaza Solangi emphasized that the illegal immigrants must voluntarily leave Pakistan by October 31, as the caretaker government was committed to implementing the law of the land.
He stressed that the national interest cannot be compromised for the sake of bilateral relations, underscoring that action will be taken indiscriminately against illegal activities.
To another question, the minister said a recovery amounting to Rs16 billion was made in the government’s crackdown against electricity theft.
He also highlighted the positive impact of administrative actions, leading to a significant reduction in the prices of essential commodities such as oil, sugar, wheat flour, and fertilizer.
Murtaza Solangi reassured the public that the caretaker government is dedicated to the betterment of the country, and affirmed their responsibility to continue taking necessary actions.
In response to another query about the upcoming elections, the minister said that the Election Commission of Pakistan bears the responsibility for conducting free, fair, and transparent elections in the country.
Source: Radio Pakistan