QUETTA Balochistan Caretaker Information Minister, Jan Achakzai, announced on Wednesday that the provincial government had taken decisive action against refugees, leading to the arrest of approximately 100 illegal immigrants from various areas in Quetta City after the expiration of the given deadline. Achakzai shared these details during a news conference held at the Quetta Press Club, alongside Commissioner Quetta Division, Hamza Shafaqat.
Jan Muhammad Achakzai disclosed that thus far, around 35, 000 people had voluntarily returned from Balochistan. He emphasized that while many foreigners had not availed themselves of the government’s offer, the authorities were now taking action against those who had provided shelter or rental accommodations to these foreigners.
Achakzai pointed out that Pakistan had attracted a substantial number of foreign nationals, making it a destination of choice.
He emphasized that the perception that only Afghan refugees were being repatriated from Pakistan was inaccurate. The
group included Iranians, Indians, and Iraqis. Various holding centers were operational in Balochistan, including Quetta, to facilitate the process.
The immigrants would be detained under the Foreign Act and transferred to these centers, where officials from FIA (Federal Investigation Agency) and NADRA (National Database and Registration Authority) would collect their data. Within 24 hours, they would be repatriated through the Chaman Border, with geo-fencing measures implemented throughout the regions.
Achakzai noted that approximately 1, 000 refugees from Sindh had been transported to Baluchistan via trains, and they would subsequently be handed over to Afghan authorities at the Chaman border. In addition, he mentioned that around 70, 000 people with suspicious identity cards were currently under investigation.
Deputy Commissioner Hamza Shafaqat added that six sub-centers had been established in Quetta, providing various facilities for the detained migrants. Within twenty-four hours, these individuals wou
ld be transferred to these centers, from where they could be sent to Afghanistan via Chaman.