Special Flight
ISLAMABAD: On Thursday, the inaugural special flight departed from Islamabad International Airport for the United Kingdom (UK). It carried approximately 200 Afghan refugees as Pakistan paced up efforts to expel illegal refugees.
Following the Taliban’s takeover of Kabul in August 2021, nearly 3,000 Afghans, many of whom had worked with the British army, were shifted to Pakistan for resettlement in the UK.
This decision was reached after a meeting between a delegation from the British High Commission and senior officials of the Civil Aviation Authority in Karachi.
Both parties have agreed to operate a total of 12 flights, commencing next week and continuing until the end of December, to transport a specific number of Afghan refugees to the UK.
According to sources, each of these chartered flights, scheduled to operate on a weekly basis, will accommodate around 200 Afghan individuals destined for the UK.
It’s noteworthy that Pakistan has set a November 1 deadline for all legal immigrants to leave the country.
Pakistani Interior Minister Sarfaraz Bugti, who announced the deadline in early October, stated that approximately 1.7 million Afghans are among those who may face compulsory eviction.
Meanwhile, caretaker Interior Minister Sarfraz Bugti has declared that the plan to expel illegal aliens has been finalized, and they will be relocated to centers in their respective provinces after the November 1 deadline is met.
Bugti made this announcement during a press conference, emphasizing that families of illegal foreigners, including children and women, will be treated with the utmost respect.
He firmly stated, “There will be no compromise on the issue of foreigners’ return.” Bugti went on to explain that after November 1, the detained individuals will be housed in these centers. Additionally, he announced that returnees will be allowed to carry a maximum of Rs50,000 with them.
Bugti also underscored that strict measures will be taken against those involved in producing fake Computerized National Identity Cards (CNCs). Furthermore, he revealed that illegal properties, belonging to illegal foreigners, including Afghan refugees, will be seized. Action will also be taken against Pakistanis who provide support to illegal aliens.
