ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Tuesday warned Afghan nationals residing in the country against supporting and funding electoral candidates.

The interior ministry in a brief statement stressed that it was illegal for Afg­h­ans living in the country to support or be involved in any political or electoral activities ahead of the up­­coming general elections.

It made it clear that those failing to comply will be deported regardless of their legal status.

Pakistan had last month announced it would expel over a million undocum­e­nted migrants, mostly Afghans.

The ministry has also warned Pakistani citizens against employing illegal aliens or assisting them in securing employment within the country.

Pakistani citizens have also been encouraged to report any instances of illegal aliens or individuals employing them. The directive comes as the country gears up for general elections, scheduled to take place on Feb 8, 2024.

In the 1980s, millions of Afghans fled to Pakistan during the Soviet occupation of their country.

Published in Dawn, November 29th, 2023

Opinion

Editorial

Back in parliament
Updated 27 Jul, 2024

Back in parliament

It is ECP's responsibility to set right all the wrongs it committed in the Feb 8 general elections.
Brutal crime
27 Jul, 2024

Brutal crime

No effort has been made to even sensitise police to the gravity of crime involving sexual assaults, let alone train them to properly probe such cases.
Upholding rights
27 Jul, 2024

Upholding rights

Sanctity of rights bodies, such as the HRCP, should be inviolable in a civilised environment.
Judicial constraints
Updated 26 Jul, 2024

Judicial constraints

The fact that it is being prescribed by the legislature will be questioned, given the political context.
Macabre spectacle
26 Jul, 2024

Macabre spectacle

Israel knows that regardless of the party that wins the presidency, America’s ‘ironclad’ support for its genocidal endeavours will continue.