ISLAMABAD, Following the deadline’s expiration, the government has launched a countrywide operation to deport illegal foreign nationals, including Afghans.

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting reports that, marking a historic first, the Interior Ministry has disseminated guidelines to all provincial governments to initiate deportations of illegal foreign residents, as stipulated by the Foreign Act of 1946. The interim government has also cautioned against any domestic support to these undocumented individuals, warning that legal repercussions await those found culpable.

The repatriation strategy will indiscriminately apply to all illegal foreign residents, regardless of nationality. After a thorough geo-fencing and mapping exercise, security agencies have successfully identified the illegal Afghan populace. In Sindh, the identification of two hundred thousand undocumented foreigners is complete. Meanwhile, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, any of the three hundred thousand Afghan nationals who do not depart willingly will be placed in detention facilities. Operations in Punjab and Balochistan are ongoing, with the data verification process in full swing.