KARACHI: The Sindh government has decided to repatriate more than 67,000 registered Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) holders to their home country after Eidul Fitr.

Informed sources told Dawn that a high-level meeting discussed preparations for repatriation of those Afghans who possessed Afghan Citizens Cards (ACC) in the light of the decision of the federal government.

The meeting, chaired by Sindh Home Minister Zia Lanjar, was told that the ACCs, which were issued in 2017, lacked an ‘expiry date’, the sources said, adding that now the federal government had decided that all such ACCs stood cancelled.

According to a statement issued after the meeting, Home Secretary Muhammad Iqbal Memon informed the participants that the ministry of interior had decided that the second phase of the Illegal Foreigners’ Repatriation Plan (IFRP) would begin after Eid.

He said that action would be taken against illegal foreigners, including those whose ACC cards and proof of registration (POR) cards expired in March.

The home minister directed the home secretary to coordinate with all relevant stakeholders as well as the inspector general of police to launch the repatriation plan.

The meeting was informed that over 40,000 Afghans would be repatriated to their country in the first phase.

Besides the home minister and IGP, senior officials of the army, Rangers, Intelligence Bureau and other institutions attended the meeting.

Published in Dawn, April 2nd, 2024