Pakistan suspends readmission agreements with western countries

Published November 6, 2015
Federal Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said that Pakistanis travelling abroad without documents are deported on charges of terrorism without proper verification. - APP/File
Federal Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said that Pakistanis travelling abroad without documents are deported on charges of terrorism without proper verification. - APP/File

ISLAMABAD: Federal Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan on Friday said Pakistan has suspended readmission agreements with western countries, except the United Kingdom, because of "blatant misuse", reported Radio Pakistan.

Addressing a news conference in Islamabad, the minister claimed most countries have been deporting illegal Pakistani citizens "without verification", whereas under readmission agreements Pakistanis travelling illegally to any western country have to be deported after proper verification.

He added that at least 90,000 people were sent back to Pakistan during the last year.

Nisar also shed some light on another "dangerous trend" that had emerged over the last several months, under which Pakistanis travelling abroad without documents are deported on charges of terrorism without proper verification.

Even their nationalities are not being verified to ascertain whether or not they are actually Pakistanis, said the interior minister.

Responding to a question, the interior minister said India's "true face stands exposed before the international community" because of recent acts of violence against minorities, especially Muslims.

Earlier, it was reported by Russian news agency Sputnik that Pakistan had expressed readiness to accept its citizens who illegally arrived in the European Union (EU).

After a meeting with the adviser to prime minister on foreign affairs, Sartaj Aziz, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said that they "already had bilateral agreements between EU and Pakistan for return and readmission."

The EU has been struggling with a massive influx of over 710,000 migrants since the beginning of 2015 as hundreds of thousands of people fleeing conflict-stricken regions are seeking asylum in the bloc.

European Commissioner for Migration Dimitris Avramopoulos had said on Wednesday that he was set to visit Pakistan soon to discuss plans to send back Pakistani migrants who had made their way to Europe.

Also read: EU warns of tough action against Pakistani migrants

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