QUETTA: Balochistan caretaker Minister for Inf­ormation Jan Acahakzai has said that the second phase of repatriation of Afg­han refugees has begun and in this phase over 2,000 illegal immigrants have been sent back to Afghanis­tan through the Chaman border, after their arrest.

Speaking at a press conference here on Wednesday, the information minister said that law-enforcement agencies have now launched a crackdown, arresting all illegal foreigners staying in the country, including Afghan refugees.

“The government has now launched a ‘stop and search policy’ under which police and other law-enforcement agencies will stop and check the national identity card of any suspected person,” Mr Achakzai said.

He said the second phase of repatriation all illegal immigrants will be completed by January 2024. In this phase, he said, around one million undocumented immigrants would be sent back to their countries.

Mr Achakzai said that all institutions and agencies concerned were coordinating with each other and they are implementing the orders issued to them by the federal government about illegal immigrants in the country, adding that no one would be allowed to stay illegally in the country.

He said some elements had hatched a conspiracy to create unrest over the issue in the country but their nefarious designs have been foiled by the government.

Mr Achakzai said that around one million Afghan refugees got themselves registered with UNHCR in Quetta and they were issued POR cards in Quetta.

He said that 200,000 fake cards were issued in Balochistan which were blocked by Nadra.

Published in Dawn, November 23rd, 2023