LAHORE: The Lahore High Court ordered on Friday the Punjab government to deport 34 Afghan nationals after the culmination of their imprisonment for illegal stay in Pakistan.

Justice Erum Sajjad Gull passed this order dismissing an appeal against sentence filed by Raheemullah, Wali Gull, Naseem Khan and other Afghan citizens.

Petitioners’ counsel argued that the trial court convicted his clients in haste as their documentation for stay in Pakistan was in process.

However, a state lawyer opposed the appeal and said Gujrat police had arrested the appellants in the suburb area of the city in 2014 as they failed to furnish any lawful document for their stay in the country. He said the Gujrat district and sessions’ court sentenced them two years imprisonment each in 2015. He said two months had left in culmination of the sentence awarded to the appellants.

Justice Gull dismissed the appeal and ordered the government to expatriate the Afghan citizens after they undergone their sentence.

Published in Dawn, June 25th, 2016