RAWALPINDI: One Afghan national was found living in Pakistan without documents in the holding centre of the garrison city on Saturday.

As many as 30 people were brought to the centre by police and were later released after they provided documents showing they had sought asylum in other countries.

“The government decided to provide relief to those who have applied for asylum in Europe or other countries. More than six persons provided documents showing they had been called for interview by some embassies and high commissions,” said a senior official of the district administration while talking to Dawn.

He said that mostly Afghan nationals were of the view that they wanted to go to Europe or other countries and they had applied for asylum and would leave Pakistan as soon as possible.

He said only those foreigners were declared illegal who failed to provide any document.

In the last two days, 100 people were deported from Rawalpindi division, including 31 from Rawalpindi district.

Deputy Commissioner Dr Waqar Hassan Cheema claimed that 5000 illegal Afghan nationals had already left the district for their homeland.

According to data collected by divisional authorities, the number of ‘illegal residents’ across the division is around 24,018. Out of this, 10,000 people are living in Attock district; 1,200 in Chakwal district; 818 in Jhelum district and 12,000 in Rawalpindi district.

‘illegal’ immigrants sent Torkham

As many as 80 ‘illegal’ Afghan immigrants, including children and women, were sent from Taxila holding centre to the Torkham border crossing for repatriation to their country, officials said on Saturday.

The immigrants were sent in two vans and two minibuses, each carrying around 25 to 30 people.

Besides, special arrangements were made by the district administration as bouquets were presented to the illegal foreigners on their farewell.

This first batch of illegal immigrants left the holding center at the Government Technical College Dhoke Fateh for Torkham amid strict security.

The Deputy Commissioner (DC) Attock Rao Atif Raza, Assistant Commissioner Shagufta Jabeen, and other district administration officials were among the government and police officials to oversee the first batch’s departure.

The DC had earlier visited the camp established at the Government Technical College Dhoke Fateh for the repatriation of illegal foreign nationals, along with other officials.

They reviewed all the arrangements made to facilitate the illegal migrants and directed that the city assistant commissioner remain stationed at the centre to supervise the arrangements and the repatriation process.

Mr Raza stated “Nadra desks had also been set up at the centres to check the illegal immigrants’ records.”

He added that a control room had been set up to ensure fool-proof security for continuous monitoring.

The DC said that according to the records of law enforcement agencies, out of 2,050 illegal immigrants living across the district of Attock, as many as 1,736 have voluntarily returned to their homeland so far while steps are being taken to send the remaining 764 to their home country.

Answering a question, Mr Rao said that the mapping of as many as 390 areas where Afghan nationals are settled has already been completed by the police and law enforcement agencies.

Published in Dawn, November 5th, 2023