• Govt sets up three ‘holding centres’ in Karachi, Hyderabad and Jacobabad
• Home minister says aliens will be deported thrice a week in batches
• 500 cops deputed at detention facility in Karachi for security

KARACHI: While the Sindh government has claimed to have finalised arrangements for repatriation of illegal immigrants residing in the province, it needs at least Rs2 billion for lodging thousands of undocumented aliens at three holding centres in the province, their food and transportation to their home country, it emerged on Saturday.

Talking to Dawn, interim Home Minister retired Brigadier Haris Nawaz said that all expenditure for deporting illegal immigrants living in the province would be borne by the Sindh government.

He said that the home department would soon approach the Sindh government for a grant of Rs2 billion for the exercise.

“Repatriation efforts will be carried out from designated points across the province. Special arrangements will be made at these points, including the provision of food, and special care for women, children, and the elderly,” said the home minister.

He believed that the repatriation of all illegal immigrants might take two-three months.

Holding centres in Karachi, Hyderabad and Jacobabad

Earlier in the day, the minister chaired a meeting to review the illegal immigrants’ repatriation plan.

The meeting was attended by the director general of the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), commissioners of Karachi, Larkana, Shaheed Benazirabad divisions, representatives of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) and senior police officials.

It was informed that three holding centres had been established in Karachi, Hyderabad and Jacobabad.

The participants of the meeting were informed that the holding centres would offer aliens access to medical and healthcare services and security.

Talking to Dawn, the home minister said that Karachi’s holding centre had been established at Haji Camp in Sultanabad.

He said that around 400-500 illegal immigrants would be brought to the holding centre in Karachi and they would be sent to their home country thrice a week through buses and trains in batches.

Also on Saturday, DIG-South Syed Asad Raza and Karachi Commissioner Saleem Rajput visited the Haji Camp holding centre in the metropolis and reviewed security and other arrangements.

The DIG told Dawn that 500 policemen had been deployed at the centre to meet any eventuality.

‘Foolproof security to be ensured’

At the meeting, the home minister stressed the need for foolproof security arrangements at the holding centres as well as security for the convoys on their way back to their countries.

“There is a need to keep a close eye on hostile elements to foil any possible nefarious design,” he added.

He said that individuals had been encouraged to voluntarily return to their home countries by Nov 1, as the government committed to providing them with necessary support for their smooth repatriation.

He clarified that the government was not only repatriating illegal Afghan refugees but also all other foreigners living illegally in Pakistan.

“State action against illegal foreigners, including their deportation, is in accordance with the law of the land, for ensuring the safety and security of the country,” he maintained.

The meeting participants were further informed that the control rooms at provincial, divisional and district levels had been established to coordinate, monitor and report any situation.

Representatives of the police, Nadra, FIA, PDMA, Special Branch and other intelligence agencies will be part of the control room.

The participants also discussed the possibility of sending illegal immigrants by special trains in order to lessen security concerns besides providing all the necessary facilities, in one place, without any interruption.

The home minister nominated the commissioner of Karachi as the focal person and directed him to discuss the proposal with the federal government.

Published in Dawn, October 29th, 2023