KARACHI: The Provincial Apex Committee, a forum of top civil and military officials, decided on Thursday to launch a crackdown on illegal foreigners living in educational institutions and seminaries in Pakistan.

The 31st Apex Committee meeting, held at CM House with Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah in chair, was informed by the law enforcement agencies that illegal foreigners were studying in different educational institutions, including madressahs.

The meeting was attended among others by Senior Minister Sharjeel Memon, Home Minister Ziual Hassan Lanjar, Mayor Murtaza Wahab, Corps Commander Karachi Lt Gen Babar Iftikhar, Chief Secretary Asif Hyder Shah, Home Secretary Iqbal Memon, Commissioner Hassan Naqvi, DG Rangers Maj Gen Azhar Waqas and IG Police Ghulam Nabi Memon.

According to a statement issued from CM House, the intelligence agencies presented a report to the Apex Committee, which revealed that a madressah teacher had been found involved in the Karachi Police Office (KPO) attack on Feb 17, 2023.

Apex Committee decides to carry out a joint-mapping exercise to get foreigners’ data

It said that during the KPO clearance operation carried out by the agencies, the terrorists were killed and through their fingerprints and other investigations, it was revealed that one of them was a teacher in a madressah.

The chief minister in consultation with the Apex Committee members decided to carry out a joint mapping of the illegal foreigners living in the province and educational institutions so that the actual data of such illegal foreigners could be collected.

Mr Shah said that the joint mapping of illegal foreigners living in the province, particularly in Karachi, was necessary so that their credible data could be developed for their repatriation.

“I want that the joint-mapping exercise should be carried out by Sindh police (Special Branch) and concerned federal government agencies,” he said.

Home Minister Lanjar and Home Secretary Iqbal Memon briefing the meeting said that 43,762, and 1,653 illegal foreigners had been repatriated and deported respectively. 42,109 illegal foreigners had returned voluntarily, 81,106 had Proof of Residence (PoR) and 65,936 had other cards.

It was pointed out that 57,000 fake/bogus CNICs had already been blocked while 17,217 were under the process of blockage.

At the outset, the CM briefed the meeting about the decisions taken in the special meeting on law and order, which chaired by President Asif Zardari at CM House on Wednesday.

The president had directed the provincial government to launch a well-prepared, properly coordinated and vigorous operation against dacoits in the kutcha area, street criminals, land grabbers, as well as drug mafia in Karachi so that people could live a peaceful life.

The CM reiterated his government’s commitment to implementing the directives of the president in true letter and spirit, which were also part of the Apex Committee agenda.

Narcotics

Excise Minister Sharjeel Memon told the meeting that an intelligence-based crackdown had been started by the department against the drug mafia.

The meeting decided that a fusion centre be established for a strong coordination of all the concerned law enforcement agencies (LEAs) so that well-coordinated operations against narcotics could be carried out.

Published in Dawn, May 3rd, 2024