LAHORE: The Punjab government has decided to introduce a whistle-blower system to identify and deport undocumented immigrants, particularly Afghan nationals, living in the province.
According to a newspaper report, the decision was made during a law and order meeting chaired by Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz.
According to a statement issued by the CM Office, Afghan citizens residing in Punjab will also be included in the tax net. The government will establish a real-time database to monitor illegal Afghan residents.
“The whistle-blower system will help identify illegal immigrants, and the identity of informants will remain completely confidential,” the statement said. It added that combing operations would be carried out against undocumented foreigners and their businesses. Such individuals would be deported immediately as per the federal government’s policy.
Citizens Asked to Register Licensed Arms Within a Month
The meeting also directed the recovery of illegal weapons and gave a one-month deadline for owners to surrender unlicensed arms.
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Citizens were asked to register their legal firearms with police within the same period. Arms vendors and dealers were ordered to have their stocks inspected, while a complete ban was imposed on issuing new licences.
The Punjab government also recommended that the federal government regularise arms factories and manufacturers. Meanwhile, the punishment for possessing illegal arms has been increased to 14 years in jail with a fine of up to Rs2 million, and the offence has been made non-bailable.
Crackdown on Illegal Afghan Residents
The federal government has already de-notified the last 28 Afghan refugee camps in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, ending over four decades of temporary settlements. A nationwide drive to expel more than 1.3 million Afghan nationals holding Proof of Registration (PoR) cards has been underway since September 1.
In Faisalabad division, a crackdown to remove illegal Afghan residents has resumed. Commissioner Raja Jahangir Anwar chaired a meeting where deputy commissioners briefed about the progress in their respective districts.
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The commissioner directed officials to act according to the Punjab Home Department’s SOPs and ensure immediate enforcement. He instructed authorities to remove Afghan nationals doing business without valid documents and to verify their papers.
He also ordered the municipal corporation to clear footpaths in collaboration with the Punjab Enforcement Regulatory Authority (PERA).
According to police sources, 47 Afghan nationals without legal status were arrested during a two-day operation in Faisalabad division.
