Holding camp for illegal emigrants set up in Pindi

Rawalpindi: The commissioner and dep­uty commissioner have visited the ‘Holding Camp’ established here at Government Shahbaz Sharif Association College Khayaban-e-Sir Syed to check the facilities for illegal emigrants. The local administration with the help of police shifted several illegal emigrants including Afghan refugees to a ‘Holding Camp’ here on Thursday.

Commissioner Rawalpin­di Division Liaquat Ali Chatha said that all illegal emigrants including Afghan settlers will be deported through the Torkham border on Friday and Saturday.

He reviewed the arrangements in the camp to be established for the deportation of illegal settlers. On this occasion, Deputy Commissioner (DC), Rawalpindi Hasan Waqar Cheema, Assistant Commissioner Qandeel Fatima, and other relevant officers were also present on the occasion. During their visit, the commissioner was informed that accommodation for 450 people was arranged in the camp. “A total of 12,000 Afghans have been identified in Rawalpindi district, of which 6,000 are illegal while the remaining 6,000 are yet to be verified,” the commissioner was informed.

A NADRA desk was also set up in the camp so that the data of the persons brought there could be verified immediately. In such a case, after checking, the illegal emigrants will be kept in the camp for deportation while the registered ones will be allowed to go, the commissioner said. Adequate arrangements have been made for the refugees to sleep and eat and drink in the camp, while a medical camp will also be set up there to provide medical facilities,” he added.

“Next Friday or Saturday, clearance will be received from the Khyber Pakhtun­khwa government after which these refugees will be brought to the Torkham border,” he assured.

The commissioner said that police officials were continuously bringing illegal emigrants to ‘Holding Camp’. He also said that several illegal housing societies had deployed several illegal emigrants as security guards in their societies. A total of 26 innocent people were killed last year in several illegal housing societies. We are investigating this issue to arrest the owners of illegal housing societies, he said.