Zero tolerance for smuggling, hoarding: Kakar

PESHAWAR/QUETTA: Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar Friday reiterated that the government would show zero tolerance for smuggling and corruption and its ongoing efforts against these menaces were coming to fruition.

Chairing a meeting here to discuss the matters pertaining to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Kakar said the value of dollar had depreciated in the market due to the timely action taken by the government, reports APP.

The prime minister said the army’s support to the efforts to curb smuggling and hoarding were laudable.

The prime minister, who paid his first visit to Peshawar after assuming the office, was briefed on the law and order situation as well as the financial issues confronting the province.

He said only illegal foreign nationals were being expelled and directed the authorities to ensure that the registered foreign nationals faced no difficulties during the process.

Interacting with the media, the prime minister said dollar depreciation had led to a reduction in the country’s loans by Rs4,000 billion besides impacting the prices of petroleum products and eatables.

To a question, he said no reports had so far been received on the burning of houses in North Waziristan, Bajaur or Orakzai. However, he directed the IG police, chief secretary and intelligence agencies to provide a reality-based report on the matter.

Asked about the fate of PML-N Quaid Nawaz Sharif on his return, the prime minister said the government would act as per the law.

He also offered fateha and laid a floral wreath at the grave of former president Ghulam Ishaq Khan.

He also offered fateha and laid a floral wreath at the grave of former FC commandant Shaheed Sifwat Ghayur. The prime minister prayed to Allah Almighty to elevate the ranks of their souls in paradise.

Paying tribute to the martyred cop, Kakar commended his services for the nation and the country.

He said Shaheed Sifwat sacrificed his life for a great cause.

“We are indebted to the martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the sake of country’s security”, he added.

Arshad Aziz Malik from our Peshawar bureau adds: Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar Friday said no action was being taken against the Afghan refugees and the deadline was meant for those foreigners who had no documents for legal stay in the country.

“There is a difference between the refugees and the undocumented foreigners. No action has been planned against the refugees but only those who do not possess any document to legalize their stay will be deported after the expiry of the deadline,” he told the media during his visit to Peshawar.

He dispelled the impression that the planned action would deteriorate relations with Afghanistan.

“We want cordial and constructive relations with Afghanistan based on the international principles under which the movement should be through passport and visa,” said the premier.

He was flanked by Governor Ghulam Ali and caretaker Chief Minister Azam Khan.

He said undocumented foreigners were not being sent back in a bid to take any kind of revenge but only the law on the issue was being implemented to improve law and order in the country.

Kakar said there were challenges to all the provinces on the issue of undocumented foreigners as the task of sending them back was not going to be completed in a week or few days.

He said the federal government would evolve a strategy so that no province faced any burden during the process alone.

The prime minister said there was no plan to hold talks with the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), as the group was killing innocent people.

He said the state would continue fighting against the TPP even if it was for a hundred years.

He said many issues about the TTP had been taken up at the diplomatic level.

When asked about the reservations of different political parties about the holding of the general elections, Kakar said the caretaker government would hold the polls whenever the Election Commission of Pakistan announced a date for it.

He said the police and security personnel of KP rendered great sacrifices for restoration of peace and they would be remembered forever. He said Allah would reward the martyrs Himself for the supreme sacrifice.

Praising the efforts of the police and administration against the incidents of terrorism, Kakar said no outfit or group would be allowed to pick up weapons and challenge the state’s writ.

He instructed equipping the KP police with modern equipment to build their capacity against terrorism, and assured the federal government’s maximum support to the provincial government in this regard.

Kakar started his speech in Pashto and said he had childhood friends in almost all parts of the KP.

The prime minister said he wanted to build a house for himself in Peshawar due to his love for the city.

He said he wanted to learn the languages spoken in other provinces.

He switched to Urdu when the governor told him that TV channel reporters wanted him to speak in the national language.

The premier also chaired a meeting of the KP cabinet on the affairs of the government and law and order.

Geo reports: Meanwhile, Caretaker Interior Minister Sarfraz Bugti Friday warned the illegal immigrants to leave Pakistan by November 1 or the state would show “no compromise” in taking action against them.

“In the meetings on the expulsion of Afghan refugees, all stakeholders were present. In that meeting, it was decided that a grace period should be given to them,” the minister said in a statement, claiming that some people also told authorities that some immigrants wished to return voluntarily.

Bugti reiterated that the policy to expel illegal immigrants was not restricted to Afghan nationals.

“People, no matter which nationality they belong to, will not be troubled if they have a valid visa and other required documentation. We’re just [planning to] expel illegal immigrants,” he added.

Thousands of Afghan nationals have started leaving Pakistan after the government announced the deadline, with some citing economic conditions behind their decision to leave.

The decision to ask illegal immigrants to leave is closely tied to the escalating violence in the country, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, and the growing tension between the government and TTP administration in Kabul, according to experts and officials.

The United Nations has also said that the refugees residing in Pakistan should be allowed to exit the country voluntarily and no pressure should be exerted on them.

Pakistan has hosted millions of Afghan refugees since the Soviet Union’s invasion in 1979.

According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) data, approximately 1.33 million registered refugees hold Proof of Registration (PoR) cards, and 840,000 possess Afghan citizenship cards.