ISLAMABAD: Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir on Thursday endorsed the government’s decision to launch a deportation drive against unregistered foreigners in Pakistan, calling them a threat to the country’s security and saying the repatriation process was being carried out in a dignified way.
The government announced in October to expel “illegal migrants,” mostly Afghans, following a string of extremist attacks and suicide bombings in Pakistan which were blamed on a proscribed militant network, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), whose leadership is said to be based in Afghanistan.
While the Pakistani authorities did not say they were exclusively targeting Afghans, they maintained there was evidence that Afghan nationals in the country were involved in organized crime and had carried out 14 out of 24 suicide bombings since January this year.
According to the military’s media wing, ISPR, the army chief received a detailed briefing on the overall security situation, including the ongoing counterterrorism operations and deportation of foreigners, during his visit to Peshawar in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province.
“Illegal foreigners were seriously affecting Pakistan’s security and economy,” he maintained during his visit. “Decision to repatriate them has been taken by the government in the interest of Pakistan. Illegal foreigners are being repatriated to their countries in a humane and dignified manner as per the established norms.”
International rights organizations have criticized the arrests and deportation of Afghan nationals by Pakistani authorities in recent weeks amid harassment complaints by registered refugees.
The army chief praised the people of KP for their “resolute support” to the security force, saying it had resulted in stability in the province and materialization of progress on projects of socio-economic development.
“Nation takes pride and acknowledges the accomplishments of its Armed Forces,” he added. “Pakistan is destined to succeed and Pakistan Army will continue to undertake its selfless and sacred duty of safeguarding every inch of the motherland till last drop of blood.”
He also learned about the socio-economic developments of the country’s erstwhile tribal territories along the northwestern border with Afghanistan that witnessed a lot of volatility in the wake of the post-9/11 international invasion of the region and that have frequently complained about being underdeveloped.
The tribal belt, which acted as a buffer zone separating Pakistan from Afghanistan, was merged with the rest of the KP province in 2018, though it still requires plenty of funds for its development.
Army chief backs deportation drive, says illegal foreigners ‘seriously affecting’ Pakistani security, economy
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Army chief backs deportation drive, says illegal foreigners ‘seriously affecting’ Pakistani security, economy
- General Asim Munir says the repatriation process is taking place ‘in a humane and dignified manner’
- The army chief also inquires about the socio-economic development of the erstwhile tribal territories
Pakistan stresses increasing trade, economic engagement with Europe amid EU-India deal
- Deputy PM Ishaq Dar chairs meeting to review measures to strengthen Pakistan-EU economic and trade cooperation
- Free trade agreement grants Indian exporters sweeping tariff-free access to EU, Pakistan’s second-largest export market
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Monday stressed the importance of deepening trade and economic engagement with the European Union (EU) amid the bloc’s recent free trade agreement with India.
India and EU last month announced they had successfully concluded negotiations for a free trade agreement with the EU, which Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi described as the “mother of all trade deals.” The agreement grants Indian exporters sweeping tariff-free access to the EU, Pakistan’s second-largest export market. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the deal created a free trade zone of two billion people.
The main concern for Pakistan is that the India-EU deal may significantly reduce Islamabad’s tariff advantage under the EU’s Generalized Scheme of Preferences Plus, which allows duty-free access for many Pakistani exports in return for commitments on labor rights, human rights and governance. Pakistan’s foreign office, however, has said it continues to view its trade relationship with the EU, particularly under the GSP Plus framework, as mutually beneficial.
Dar chaired a high-level inter-ministerial meeting to review measures aimed at strengthening Pakistan’s economic and trade cooperation with EU on Monday, the foreign ministry said.
“DPM/FM underscored the importance of deepening and expanding trade and economic engagement with the EU, noting that the EU remains a key economic partner for Pakistan, particularly under the GSP Plus framework,” the statement said.
He highlighted that Pakistan has successfully completed four biennial GSP Plus reviews, reaffirming Islamabad’s commitment to fully meeting its obligations under the scheme to expand mutually beneficial trade opportunities.
The meeting was attended by the federal minister of law and senior officials as well as Pakistan’s ambassador to the EU.
The development takes place as Pakistan’s exports dwindle. After rising 5 percent to $32.1 billion last fiscal year, the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics reported that exports fell 9 percent to $15.2 billion in the first half of the current year through December.
Pakistani industrialists and financial analysts have urged the government to reduce domestic production costs, particularly high power tariffs. EU accounts for a substantial share of Pakistan’s exports, particularly textiles and garments.
“The EU-India FTA will have a definite impact on Pakistan’s textile exports to the EU,” said Shankar Talreja, the head of research at Karachi-based Topline Securities Ltd, told Arab News last month.
“Pakistani companies’ competitive advantage to compete against a giant like India needs to be restored in the form of regionally aligned energy tariffs and policy certainty.”
