Foreign nationals involved in political activities will be deported : Sarfraz Bugti

Caretaker Interior Minister Sarfraz Bugti warned that foreigners residing in the country will face deportations if they are found involved in political activities.

People involved in political activities are being deported […] whether it be Afghan refugees or citizens of any other country, they will face deportation [if found in violation of directives],” Sarfraz Bugti said while speaking to the media on Friday.

The minister underscored that foreign nationals arriving in Pakistan on a visa are strictly forbidden from participating in the country’s politics.He said ten such people found involved in political activities had been identified and they were being deported.

Sarfraz Bugti said the Foreign Office had taken the Afghan Government into confidence on issue of repatriation of Afghan refugees. Pakistan was the only country in the world which had hosted illegal immigrants for more than 40 years.

The minister also revealed that there is a security threat against Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman at a time when a general security threat persists against the country’s political leadership as a whole.

Bugti said it will be government’s utmost effort to provide maximum security for the peaceful conduct of the general elections.“We will provide the paramilitary force keeping in view the request of ECP [Election Commission of Pakistan],” he added.

Earlier, it was revealed that Afghanistan’s Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani — along with thousands of others — were holding fake Pakistani passports.

The sources revealed that around 30,000 – 40,000 passports were issued to Afghan nationals have been blocked. The government is looking into more such cases and that those responsible for fake identity cards and passports will be held accountable.

It is estimated, there are 4 million Afghans living in Pakistan, out of 1.7 million are undocumented.The interior minister said 482,845 people had left the country through various borders under the government’s deportation drive, with 90 per cent or slightly more returning voluntarily.