ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Tuesday warned Afghan nationals residing in the country against supporting and funding electoral candidates.

The interior ministry in a brief statement stressed that it was illegal for Afg­h­ans living in the country to support or be involved in any political or electoral activities ahead of the up­­coming general elections.

It made it clear that those failing to comply will be deported regardless of their legal status.

Pakistan had last month announced it would expel over a million undocum­e­nted migrants, mostly Afghans.

The ministry has also warned Pakistani citizens against employing illegal aliens or assisting them in securing employment within the country.

Pakistani citizens have also been encouraged to report any instances of illegal aliens or individuals employing them. The directive comes as the country gears up for general elections, scheduled to take place on Feb 8, 2024.

In the 1980s, millions of Afghans fled to Pakistan during the Soviet occupation of their country.

Published in Dawn, November 29th, 2023

Opinion

Editorial

When medicine fails
Updated 18 Nov, 2024

When medicine fails

Between now and 2050, medical experts expect antibiotic resistance to kill 40m people worldwide.
Nawaz on India
Updated 18 Nov, 2024

Nawaz on India

Nawaz Sharif’s hopes of better ties with India can only be realised when New Delhi responds to Pakistan positively.
State of abuse
18 Nov, 2024

State of abuse

The state must accept that crimes against children have become endemic in the country.
Football elections
17 Nov, 2024

Football elections

PAKISTAN football enters the most crucial juncture of its ‘normalisation’ era next week, when an Extraordinary...
IMF’s concern
17 Nov, 2024

IMF’s concern

ON Friday, the IMF team wrapped up its weeklong unscheduled talks on the Fund’s ongoing $7bn programme with the...
‘Un-Islamic’ VPNs
Updated 17 Nov, 2024

‘Un-Islamic’ VPNs

If curbing pornography is really the country’s foremost concern while it stumbles from one crisis to the next, there must be better ways to do so.