ISLAMABAD: The Counter-Terrorism Department and the Islamabad police have rounded up around 800 Afghan nationals from different parts of the capital for illegally staying in the country.
Officials told News Diplomacy that after verification of the residential documents about 400 of the Afghan nationals were set free.
The arrests were made in an operation conducted by the CTD, police and the district administration of Islamabad, they added.
The officials added that all those Afghan nationals living in Pakistan without legal documents would be deported to their country.
It may be mentioned here that the federal government has already decided to send back over one million Afghan nations living in Pakistan illegally.
This decision was taken at a meeting of the federal cabinet recently in which a plan was also shared with the ministers for phase-wise repatriation of the Afghans.
The meeting was told that at least 1.1 million Afghans are currently living in the country without legal documents and they are not only a security risk but most of them have also been involved in street crime.
According to a plan shared with stakeholders, including the Afghan authorities, the illegal Afghans will be sent back to their country in phases.
In the first phase, all illegal Afghan migrants including those who have failed to renew their Pakistan visa would be sent back.
In the second phase, Afghan citizens and those holding proof of residence cards would be repatriated.
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