ISLAMABAD: State Minister for Interior Talal Chaudhry said on Thursday the government was not considering extending the deadline for illegal foreigners to leave the country, with over 850,000 people repatriated since a deportation drive was launched in late 2023.
Earlier this year, Pakistan’s interior ministry asked all “illegal foreigners” and holders of Afghan Citizen Cards — a document launched in 2017 to grant temporary legal status to Afghan refugees — to leave the country before Mar. 31, warning that they would otherwise be deported from April 1. The move is part of a larger repatriation drive of foreign citizens that began in November 2023.
Pakistan has expelled more than 8,000 Afghan nationals in the past week in a fresh repatriation drive after the expiry of a March 31 deadline, the UNHCR said on Tuesday.
“The first and foremost thing I want to share with you is that there is no deadline extension [to deport illegal foreigners] being considered or given, nor will there be any extension,” Chaudhry said at a press conference, saying 857,157 people had been repatriated since 2023, including those residing in Pakistan illegally and ACC holders.
“Particularly in the case of Afghan nationals, this decision had to be made after considering some ground realities,” he said, accusing Afghan nations of being involved in militant attacks, narcotics trade and other crimes.
Last year was the deadliest year in almost a decade in Pakistan, with more than 1,600 people killed in militant attacks, nearly half of them security forces personnel, according to the Islamabad-based Center for Research and Security Studies.
Pakistan accuses the Taliban government of failing to root out militants sheltering on Afghan soil, a charge Kabul denies, saying it does not allow its territory to be used by militants against Pakistan. It also says Afghan nationals are not involved in terrorism and other crimes in Pakistan and Islamabad’s security and criminality issues are a domestic problem.
No extension in deadline to deport illegal foreigners from Pakistan — minister
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No extension in deadline to deport illegal foreigners from Pakistan — minister
- Over 850,000 people repatriated since a deportation drive was launched in late 2023
- Pakistan has expelled over 8,000 Afghan nationals in the past week, UNHRC says
Pakistan to promote mineral sector at Saudi forum this month with 13 companies
- Delegation will take part in the Future Minerals Forum in Riyadh from Jan. 13-15
- Petroleum minister will lead Pakistan, participate in a 90-minute country session
ISLAMABAD: Around 13 Pakistani state-owned and private companies will attend the Future Minerals Forum (FMF) in Saudi Arabia from Jan. 13 to 15, an official statement said on Friday, as the country seeks to ramp up global engagement to develop its mineral resources.
The FMF is an international conference and investment platform for the mining sector, hosted by mineral-rich countries to attract global investors, companies and governments.
Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik confirmed Pakistan’s participation in a meeting with the Saudi envoy, Nawaf bin Said Al-Malki.
Pakistan hosts one of the world’s largest copper-gold zones. The Reko Diq mine in southwestern Balochistan, with an estimated 5.9 billion tons of ore, is partly owned by Barrick Gold, which calls it one of the world’s largest underdeveloped copper-gold deposits. Its development is expected to boost Pakistan’s struggling economy.
“Upon an invitation of the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Federal Minister informed the Ambassador that Pakistan will fully participate in the upcoming Future Minerals Forum (FMF), scheduled to be held in Riyadh later this month,” Pakistan’s Press Information Department (PID) said in an official statement.
The Pakistani minister will lead his country’s delegation at the FMF and take part in a 90-minute country showcase session titled “Unleashing Potential: Accelerating Pakistan’s Mineral Revolution” along with local and foreign investors.
Pakistan will also establish a dedicated pavilion to highlight the vast potential of its rich geological landscape to the global mineral community.
The Saudi envoy welcomed Pakistan’s decision to participate in the forum and discussed enhancing bilateral cooperation in the minerals and energy sectors during the meeting.
According to the statement, he highlighted the potential for cooperation between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan in the minerals and energy sectors, expressing confidence that the FMF would provide a platform to expand collaboration.
Pakistan’s mineral sector, despite its rich reserves of salt, copper, gold and coal, contributes only 3.2 percent to the country’s GDP and just 0.1 percent to global mineral exports.
However, many countries, including the United States, have shown interest in Pakistan’s underdeveloped mineral sector, particularly in copper, gold and other critical resources.
In October, Pakistan dispatched its first-ever shipment of rare earth and critical minerals to the United States, according to a Chicago-based US public relations firm’s report.
