{"id":10573,"date":"2023-10-04T01:48:07","date_gmt":"2023-10-04T01:48:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/un-opposes-pakistans-plan-to-evict-illegal-immigrants-the-express-tribune\/"},"modified":"2023-10-04T01:48:07","modified_gmt":"2023-10-04T01:48:07","slug":"un-opposes-pakistans-plan-to-evict-illegal-immigrants-the-express-tribune","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/un-opposes-pakistans-plan-to-evict-illegal-immigrants-the-express-tribune\/","title":{"rendered":"UN opposes Pakistan’s plan to evict ‘illegal immigrants’ | The Express Tribune"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\nKARACHI:
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The UN on Tuesday opposed a deadline set to evict over 1 million “illegal immigrants” from the country, saying “the return must be voluntary and without any pressure.”<\/p>\n

“Any refugee return must be voluntary and without any pressure to ensure protection for those seeking safety,” Qaisar Khan Afridi, a spokesman for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), told Anadolu<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Pakistan on Tuesday gave a one-month deadline to all the “illegal immigrants” to leave the country by Nov.1.<\/p>\n

“We have seen disconcerting press reports about a plan to deport undocumented Afghans and we are seeking clarity from our government partners,” Afridi further said.<\/p>\n

He urged Islamabad which “has been generously hosting refugees for more than 40 years” to put in place a mechanism to ensure that Afghans with international protection are not deported.<\/p>\n

Read also:\u00a0Crackdown rattles Afghans in Pakistan<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

“We must also keep in mind that those fleeing persecution often do not have the necessary documents and travel permissions,” he maintained.<\/p>\n

He said the UNHCR stands ready to support Pakistan in developing a mechanism to manage and register people in need of international protection on its territory and respond to “particular vulnerabilities.”<\/p>\n

“Pakistan has remained a generous refugee host for decades. This role has been acknowledged globally but more needs to be done to match its generosity,” he went on to say.<\/p>\n

According to the latest UN figures, some 1.3 million Afghans enjoy the status of registered refugees, while another 880,000 have legal status to stay in Pakistan.<\/p>\n

At least 700 Afghans have been arrested since early September in Karachi alone, and hundreds more in other cities, police figures said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n