Police arrest 34 illegal Afghan nationals in Karachi

KARACHI: The city police claimed to have arrested 34 Afghan nationals illegally residing in Karachi, ARY News reported on Sunday.

According to details, the Manghopir police conducted raids to round up Afghan nations illegally residing in Karachi.

In a statement, the police said they were checking the criminal record of illegal Afghan nations through biometrics. Meanwhile, cases have been registered against the arrested suspects under Foreign Act.

Earlier on November 11, Sindh Rangers and police in their joint action rounded up 122 illegal immigrants, who were attempting to enter Sindh from Balochistan.

According to Sindh Rangers spokesperson, the personnel of the paramilitary forces and police searched the passenger bus in a routine practice wherein they encountered the 122 suspects who, Rangers and police claimed, were Afghan citizens having illegally penetrated into Pakistan.

The arrested included 89 men, 20 children and 14 women, the Rangers spokesperson said. During the biometric verification, their Pakistani identity could not be proven, after which they were handed over to Balochistan government for deportation to Afghanistan.

A day later, it was reported that the federal government started considering issuing Afghan citizens cards to over 700,000 illegal Afghan nationals in the country.

The government would discuss the matter with relevant stakeholders before reaching a decision. The Afghan residents could also get facilities like opening a bank account, medical, and educational facilities.