• PPP’s Heer Soho’s remarks against one community infuriate opposition
• Speaker expunges remarks on law minister’s request after MQM-P protest
• House unanimously adopts ‘substantive motion’

KARACHI: The Sindh Assembly on Tuesday asked the authorities to expel all illegal immigrants from the province with lawmakers from both sides of the aisle terming them a “burden” on resources and a “root cause of terrorism and street crimes” in the province.

The house unanimously adopted a “substantive motion” that reads: “This Assembly is of the opinion that illegal immigrants residing in the Province Of Sindh belonging to other countries be extradited to their original countries.”

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The motion was adopted after a discussion on an adjournment motion tabled by Pakistan Peoples Party lawmaker Heer Soho regarding the issue of illegal migrants residing in the province.

However, the atmosphere in the house was spoiled by many treasury and opposition Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan members drifting away from the debate on illegal immigrants in their speeches following remarks of the mover in her opening speech.

The situation took an ugly turn when PPP MPA while referring to illegal immigrants from different countries also listed people belonging to the Bihari community as aliens.

Ms Soho speech triggered a strong protest from the MQM-P members who all stood to condemn her remarks which were ultimately expunged from the proceedings on the request of Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Zia Lanjar.

The law minister said that the treasury members did not want to hurt feelings of anyone.

Still, the atmosphere in the house remained tense as the members from the two sides did not let go the opportunity without settling scores in their respective speeches, though all of them fully supported the motion.

An ostensibly enraged MQM-P member from Orangi Town referred to Ms Soho’s speech and said that people belonging to Bihar migrated from their homeland twice for Pakistan, first in 1947 and then after fall of Dhaka. “I am proud of being Bihari and we cannot be termed illegal immigrants,” he said in a charged voice.

Local Government Minister Saeed Ghani said that only those living in the country illegally were illegal immigrants, adding that the issue did not pertain to any specific class or area.

Former speaker Agha Siraj Durrani said that he fully supported the motion and added that the deportation of illegal immigrants was the responsibility of the federal government.

He said those crossing the country’s borders reached here without documents and record. “No country allows illegal immigrants to stay for indefinite period,” he added.

Drifting from the issue of illegal immigrants, the PPP MPA said that the province had always demonstrated openheartedness for migrants, but no one could disintegrate Karachi from Sindh.

Lone Jamaat-i-Islami member Muhammad Farooq also referred to Heer Soho’s expunged remarks and asked how those who migrated for Pakistan twice could be called illegal immigrants.

He also demanded repatriation of stranded Biharis from Bangladesh in a respectable manner.

He said that there should be a mechanism for the identification and deportation of illegal immigrants. He said Muhajirs who had migrated on the basis of Islam had right on the whole of Pakistan.

MQM-P MPA Muhammad Daniyal said that his party had pointed out the influx of illegal immigrants from Afghanistan 20 years ago. He said that the whole country was facing the issue of illegal Afghani immigrants, but Sindh was on the lead. He said the illegal immigrants should be expelled from the country.

PPP’s Fayaz Ali Butt said that all illegal immigrants must be registered and documented. He said there were several madressahs in the province and it was not known who were residing in these institutions. He said illegal immigrants should be brought under tax net until their deportation.

MQM-P MPA Kiran Masood said that Karachi was most affected by illegal immigrants. She said that Afghan boys were picking up garbage from houses for companies contracted by the Sindh Solid Waste Management Board for garbage disposal. “These illegal immigrants are also involved in house robberies and drug peddling,” she claimed.

Later, the house was adjourned to Friday.

Published in Dawn, September 4th, 2024