ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly was told on Friday that about five million illegal immigrants were residing in different parts of the country due to local and regional disturbances.
In a written statement, the Ministry of Interior told the NA that out of the five million illegal immigrants, approximately two million were Bangladeshis, 2.5 million were Afghans, and 0.5 million other nationals, including Africans, Iranians, Iraqis and Myanmarese, who had been living in the country for more than three decades.
The main reasons for these illegal immigrants was said to be partition of Pakistan in 1971, Cold War in Afghanistan in 1980s, poor law and order situation in Iraq, and the availability of safe havens in Pakistan. The Interior Ministry said that the friendly policies and international obligations of Pakistan to accommodate Afghan refugees was another reason for illegal immigrants in the country.
The NA was told that the government had taken a number of measures to discourage the inflow of illegal immigrants, including establishment of Anti-Trafficking Units at provincial police headquarters for combating internal human trafficking. For reducing illegal foreigner inflow the government has replaced Personal Identification Secure Comparison Evaluation System (PISCES) with Integrated Border Management System (IBMS) having biometric facility.
The Upper House was informed that the Interior Ministry has blacklisted traffickers, introduced Machine Readable Passports (MRP), established an immigration check-post at zero point-250 in Balochistan. The government has also promulgated Prevention and Control of Human Trafficking Ordinance (PACHTO) 2002.
Due to such efforts, Pakistan has been upgraded from Tier-II Watch List to Tier-II in the annual Trafficking in Person Report (TIP) 2010, published by the State Department of the United States. This year Pakistan maintained its Tier-II status.
The NA was told that to further strengthen the immigration system, particulars of all passengers with multiple passports and multiple CNICs are placed on the Stop Persons List in PISCES, which is installed at Exit and Entry checkposts of the Federal Investigation Authority (FIA) at airports.
This helps in detaining illegal immigrants, who are then handed over to the FIA and Anti-Human Trafficking Circles (AHTC) for legal action in accordance with the relevant laws.
The Interior Ministry said that 9,590 cases of multiples passports had been blocked in the system and legal action was underway.
The ministry said that the government had given general amnesty to such persons to surrender their multiple CNICs and passports voluntarily. However, 3,110 applications had been received for cancellation of one extra passport, out of which 1,720 passports had been cancelled, while 1,390 cases were pending for want of verification by security agencies or deposit of requisite fee.
Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan
In a written statement, the Ministry of Interior told the NA that out of the five million illegal immigrants, approximately two million were Bangladeshis, 2.5 million were Afghans, and 0.5 million other nationals, including Africans, Iranians, Iraqis and Myanmarese, who had been living in the country for more than three decades.
The main reasons for these illegal immigrants was said to be partition of Pakistan in 1971, Cold War in Afghanistan in 1980s, poor law and order situation in Iraq, and the availability of safe havens in Pakistan. The Interior Ministry said that the friendly policies and international obligations of Pakistan to accommodate Afghan refugees was another reason for illegal immigrants in the country.
The NA was told that the government had taken a number of measures to discourage the inflow of illegal immigrants, including establishment of Anti-Trafficking Units at provincial police headquarters for combating internal human trafficking. For reducing illegal foreigner inflow the government has replaced Personal Identification Secure Comparison Evaluation System (PISCES) with Integrated Border Management System (IBMS) having biometric facility.
The Upper House was informed that the Interior Ministry has blacklisted traffickers, introduced Machine Readable Passports (MRP), established an immigration check-post at zero point-250 in Balochistan. The government has also promulgated Prevention and Control of Human Trafficking Ordinance (PACHTO) 2002.
Due to such efforts, Pakistan has been upgraded from Tier-II Watch List to Tier-II in the annual Trafficking in Person Report (TIP) 2010, published by the State Department of the United States. This year Pakistan maintained its Tier-II status.
The NA was told that to further strengthen the immigration system, particulars of all passengers with multiple passports and multiple CNICs are placed on the Stop Persons List in PISCES, which is installed at Exit and Entry checkposts of the Federal Investigation Authority (FIA) at airports.
This helps in detaining illegal immigrants, who are then handed over to the FIA and Anti-Human Trafficking Circles (AHTC) for legal action in accordance with the relevant laws.
The Interior Ministry said that 9,590 cases of multiples passports had been blocked in the system and legal action was underway.
The ministry said that the government had given general amnesty to such persons to surrender their multiple CNICs and passports voluntarily. However, 3,110 applications had been received for cancellation of one extra passport, out of which 1,720 passports had been cancelled, while 1,390 cases were pending for want of verification by security agencies or deposit of requisite fee.
Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan
