100 rounded up in Karachi as action against undocumented aliens begins

After the deadline to illegal foreign nationals living in the country for voluntary repatriation expired on Tuesday, law enforcement agencies on Wednesday arrested dozens of illegal foreigners in Karachi on the first day of the crackdown.

Thousands of illegal immigrants have already voluntarily returned to Afghanistan as the interim government warned of an extensive operation against the illegal foreigners from November 1 across the country.

The law enforcement agencies launched operation across the city and taken several illegal immigrants, particularly Afghans, and shifted them to the holding centre in the Haji Camp in Keamari.

A major crackdown in Karachi was launched in Sohrab Goth and its surrounding areas known for illegal Afghan immigrants. A heavy contingent of the police participated in the Sohrab Goth operation. Ambulances from different welfare organisations also accompanied the police as a precautionary measure, however, the law enforcers did not face any resistance during the first day of crackdown.

“The operation is indeed taking place throughout the entire city, but these areas are more specifically targeted, which is why a large number of forces were deployed for the operation,” explained Aurangzaib Khattak of the Sacchal police station of District East who participated in the Sohrab Goth operation.

“So far, approximately 33 illegal immigrants have been taken into custody and sent to the holding centre,” he said, adding that the police targeted the Jamali Colony and Macchar Colony areas of Sohrab Goth on Wednesday and the operation would resume in the morning today (Thursday).

In response to a question, he said Sohrab Goth and its surrounding areas were notorious for illegal Afghan immigrants who were involved in various crimes. He added that it was certain that in such operations, such criminal elements would try to evade the police and continue moving from one area to another.

The officer was of the view that since the operation was being conducted throughout the city, even if such people managed to escape from one area and found refuge in another area, they would eventually be apprehended.

Besides Sohrab Goth, the operation was also launched in other six districts of Karachi, particularly in the Saddar, Keamari and Korangi area, where the law enforcers caught around 40 illegal immigrants, particularly Afghans.

Till the filing of this news story, around 100 illegal immigrants had been brought to the Haji Camp in District Keamari that has the capacity of housing 500 persons.

“The number of detainees could be increased as the documents of the detainees in police stations across the city are being verified,” a police officer said. “Even in the holding centre, the teams of NADRA and FIA are verifying their documents before their deportation.”

As the police teams went to a particular area, they made announcements on loudspeakers asking illegal immigrants to surrender themselves.

Meanwhile, in some areas, citizens were unhappy with the crackdown complaining that the police had initiated action with mismanagement. They said the police were primarily focusing on checking warehouses, shops and passers-by and they were not paying much attention to residential areas and houses.

Some citizens also complained of harassment at the hands of police. In some cases, it was also noticed that police teams apprehended an illegal immigrant passing by them but forgetting that his family members would also be living with him and they needed to be taken to the holding centre together.

10 buses arranged

Meanwhile, the Commissioner's Office stated that the repatriation of illegal foreigners was supposed to start on Wednesday, for which the city’s administration had designated two holding points for the illegal immigrants in the city, one at the Haji Camp, Sultanabad, and other at the scouts hostel Amin House, both in District Keamari, adds our correspondent.

The Keamari Deputy Commissioner Office had arranged 10 buses to repatriate Afghan nationals with the aim to send around 500 Afghans to the Chaman border. However, only a few passengers boarded one of the buses on Wednesday.

They convoy of buses may depart with Afghan nationals possibly on Friday. A total of 80 suspected illegal foreign nationals were examined at the holding centre at the scouts hostel. Of them, 20 individuals presented their national identity cards, nine had Proof of Registration (POR) cards, and 10 had Afghan Citizen Cards (ACC) with them. According to security sources, only 40 fell under the illegal category, unable to provide solid proof of their stay.

The Commissioner's Office had on Tuesday stated that if it was needed, the number of holding camps would be increased.