Pakistan announces April 30 as last date for Illegal residents to exit

ISLAMABAD: On Friday, Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry announced that all foreign nationals residing in Pakistan without valid visas must leave by April 30, reaffirming the government’s firm commitment to repatriating undocumented immigrants, particularly Afghan nationals.

While addressing a press conference in Islamabad, the minister said, “We have shown unmatched hospitality for decades, but now it’s time to strictly enforce our immigration laws.”

Chaudhry spoke a day before Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar is scheduled to lead a high-powered delegation for talks in Kabul.

Islamabad warned Afghan nationals without legal documents or those holding Afghan Citizen Cards to return home or face deportation by March 31, later extending the deadline to April 30.

The government launched the Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan in late 2023 as part of its repatriation drive.

Pakistan has hosted millions of Afghans for nearly five decades. In recent years, hundreds of thousands returned to Afghanistan, but over 2.1 million still reside in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and other provinces.

The Islamabad-based Centre for Research and Security Studies reported that attacks in Pakistan killed more than 1,600 people last year, making it the deadliest year in almost a decade. Nearly half of the victims were security forces personnel.

Pakistan accuses the Taliban government of failing to eliminate militants sheltering on Afghan soil, but the Taliban government denies the allegation.

The Taliban government has repeatedly urged countries hosting Afghans not to force them out and has called for their “dignified” return, with Prime Minister Hassan Akhund emphasizing this stance.

“We welcomed our Afghan brothers for 40 years with open hearts. But no country in the world allows anyone to live without a visa, and Pakistan cannot be an exception,” Talal said while speaking to journalists today.

Chaudhry shared that since April 1, Pakistan has repatriated 84,869 Afghan nationals as part of the ongoing national policy to return individuals residing in the country illegally.

He clarified that authorities are conducting the repatriation process in a lawful, organized, and humane manner, with Pakistani officials closely collaborating with their Afghan counterparts to facilitate the transition.

The government’s enforcement strategy focuses primarily on individuals providing accommodation, employment, or services to undocumented foreigners.

Chaudhry revealed that Pakistani citizens who rent out shops, homes, or hotel rooms to illegal immigrants or hire them for jobs will face strict action.

“We have communicated clear instructions to all provinces. If anyone gives a shop, house, or any kind of space to an illegal foreigner, they will be held accountable under the law,” he said.

He further added that only foreign nationals with valid legal documents can rent property, open businesses, or seek employment in Pakistan. All dealings, whether in movable or immovable property, must involve legally documented individuals.

“Pakistani citizens are only permitted to work with or rent to those who have proper legal status in the country,” he added.

The minister assured that Pakistan is coordinating diplomatically with the Afghan government as part of a balanced approach.

Chaudhry also raised alarm over credible intelligence indicating that some of the one million weapons left behind by US forces in Afghanistan have entered the hands of terrorist groups.

“These developments confirm our security concerns. The presence of such weapons in the wrong hands poses a serious threat not only to Pakistan but to the entire region,” he cautioned.

The minister concluded by reiterating that Pakistan’s policy is driven by a commitment to the rule of law, public safety, and national interest, not by animosity.