‘No visa, no stay’: Pakistan sets April 30 as final deadline for illegal foreigners

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ISLAMABAD: On Friday, Minister of State for Home Affairs, Talal Chaudhry, confirmed the government’s stance on non -documentary immigration, declared the last deadline for all foreign nationals without a valid visa to leave Pakistan on April 30.

Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, the Minister said, “Pakistan has shown unprecedented hospitality for decades, but it is time to strictly enforce our immigration laws.”

Chaudhry was speaking to Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar a day earlier that he would lead a high -power delegation to discuss in Kabul.

Afghan citizens who have no legal documents to live or have Afghan citizen card holders warned Islamabad by March 31 to return home or face deportation, which was then extended by April 30.

The return campaign is part of a campaign called the return of foreigners to the foreigners launched in late 2023.

The country has been hosting millions of Afghans for almost five decades. In the past few years, hundreds of them have returned to their country, but more than 2.1 million are still living in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and other provinces.

According to the Center for Research and Security Studies in Islamabad, last year, Pakistan was the deadliest year in a decade, killing more than 1,600 people in the attacks-half of them security forces personnel.

Pakistan has accused the Taliban government of failing to root out militants seeking asylum on Afghan soil.

The Taliban government has repeatedly demanded the “dignity” return of Afghans to its country, Prime Minister Hassan Akhand has called on countries hosting Afghans not to force them.

Talking to reporters today, Talal said, “We have welcomed our Afghan brothers with open hearts for 40 years. But no country in the world allows anyone to live without a visa, and Pakistan cannot be exempt from it.”

Chaudhry said 84,869 Afghan nationals have been brought back home from April 1 as part of the national policy on the return of people living in Pakistan illegally, Chaudhry said.

He made it clear that the return process is being carried out in a lawful, organized and human manner, and that Pakistani authorities are working with Afghan counterparts to facilitate transfer.

A large part of the government’s implementation strategy focuses on housing, employment, or services providers to non -documentary foreigners.

Chaudhry revealed that strict action will be taken against Pakistani citizens who rent shops, houses or hotel rooms for illegal immigrants or hire them for jobs.

“We have given clear instructions to all the provinces,” he said.

He added that only foreign nationals are eligible for renting property, opening businesses or getting jobs in Pakistan. All cases, whether dynamic or in real estate, should be legally with documents.

“Pakistani citizens are allowed only to work or rent with people who have appropriate legal status in the country,” he added.

The minister assured that Pakistan was following a balanced approach, which included diplomatic harmony with the Afghan government.

Chaudhry also raised the alarm on credible intelligence, which shows that some of the one million weapons behind US forces in Afghanistan have entered into the hands of terrorist groups.

He warned that “this development confirms our security concerns. The presence of such weapons in the wrong hands poses a serious threat not only to Pakistan but also the entire region.”

The Minister reiterated that Pakistan’s policy was not against hatred, but to the rule of law, public security and national interest.