Islamabad
Pakistan’s interim Prime Minister, Anwaarul Haq Kakar, emphasized the need for strict action against illegal immigrants, terming them aliens, in order to safeguard the country’s national security. Kakar stated that Pakistan is at a historic crossroads and can no longer compromise its national security by accommodating a massive number of undocumented and illegal immigrants. Kakar underscored the goal of building a safer, more peaceful, and prosperous Pakistan that benefits its own people and contributes positively to the region and the wider world. He highlighted the challenges posed by mass migration linked to conflict, climate change, and economic opportunism, aligning Pakistan’s actions with a new era of addressing such challenges. Referring to the UK government’s plans to deport illegal immigrants to Rwanda, Kakar observed that this move reflected the global pressure policymakers face in balancing human rights with hard realities. Pakistan’s version of the problem, according to Kakar, involves a different magnitude, with between four to five million migrants arriving over the last three to four decades. Despite being a non-signatory to the 1951 Convention of Refugees, Pakistan has accommodated the single largest caseload of refugees, reflecting the country’s hospitality ingrained in its DNA. Kakar regretted that despite providing opportunities for voluntary repatriation and multiple attempts to register undocumented individuals, a significant number of illegal immigrants persistently refused to validate their status. He highlighted the socio-economic and security costs of undocumented immigrants, noting their presence in the black market, tax evasion, and the potential for exploitation by criminal elements with links to terrorist organizations. Kakar cited instances of suicide attacks and encounters with security forces involving Afghan nationals, emphasizing the need for stringent measures to address the challenges posed by illegal immigrants for Pakistan’s national security.
