Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry on Friday reiterated there will be no further extension to the April 30 deadline for the exit of all foreign nationals residing in Pakistan without valid visas, warning that any Pakistanis who facilitate such individuals will face legal action.
“Pakistan has shown unmatched hospitality for decades, but the time has come to strictly enforce our immigration laws,” he told a press conference in Islamabad while briefing journalists on the ongoing Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan, launched in late 2023.
“We welcomed our Afghan brothers for 40 years with open hearts. But no country in the world allows anyone to live without a visa, and Pakistan cannot be an exception,” he said, noting 84,869 Afghans have returned home since April 1. Maintaining that the repatriation process is proceeding in a lawful, organized, and humane manner, he said Pakistani authorities are working closely with Afghan counterparts to facilitate the transition.
Chaudhry also warned that any Pakistanis that facilitate undocumented foreigners risk legal action. “We have communicated clear instructions to all provinces: if anyone rents or sells a shop, house, or any kind of space to an illegal foreigner, they will be held accountable under the law,” he said, adding only foreigners with valid legal documents are eligible to rent property, open businesses, or seek employment in Pakistan. “Pakistani citizens are only permitted to work with or rent to those who have proper legal status in the country,” he said.
The minister also noted that credible intelligence suggested that some of the one million weapons left behind by U.S. forces in Afghanistan had been taken up by terrorist groups. “These developments confirm our security concerns. The presence of such weapons in the wrong hands poses a serious threat not only to Pakistan but to the entire region,” he said.