Pakistan sends back plane with 30 'illegal deportees' from Greece

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani authorities on Thursday sent back an airplane with deported migrants from Greece after the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) found 30 passengers on board to have been illegally deported from the European country.

On the orders of Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, the FIA had stopped the 'unverified deportees' from disembarking from the plane after it landed at Islamabad's Benazir Bhutto International airport earlier today.

The interior ministry said that Greek authorities had not provided proper documented proof of the passengers on board the charter flight being Pakistani citizens, and that it would not allow them to enter the country if their citizenship could not be confirmed.

But after thorough verification of travel and citizenship documents, the FIA allowed 19 of the 49 passengers on board to disembark, sending the aircraft with the 30 illegally deported people back to Greece.

"Despite having settled all issues with the European Commissioner, Pakistani laws have been violated, which absolutely cannot be allowed," Khan said.

The EU mission in Pakistan had no immediate comment.

This is the first time that Pakistani authorities have refused entry to deportees sent to the country.

The incident comes a week after high-level talks with the European Union to settle a dispute over forced repatriations.

A top EU official said last week that Pakistan would stick to an agreement to take back citizens who are deported from mainland Europe, days after Interior Minister Nisar Ali Khan said Islamabad was suspending a deal under which thousands per year are repatriated.

On Wednesday, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said deportation of any citizen on documents issued by any other country is a violation of international laws and human rights.

An estimated 50,000 Pakistanis travel legally to Europe for work each year. According to EU statistics, about 21,000 living there without permission were ordered to return to Pakistan last year.