ISLAMABAD: The federal government has issued fresh directives to all provinces, warning that Pakistani citizens who rent out property or offer employment to illegal foreigners will be held legally responsible, Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry said on Friday.
Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, the minister emphasised that only foreign nationals with valid legal documents will be allowed to live, work or conduct any kind of transaction in Pakistan.
“Whether it’s a shop, house, hotel room, or business — no accommodation or employment should be provided to an undocumented foreigner,” he said.
“This applies to all dealings, including moveable and immoveable property. The responsibility lies not just with the individuals but also with the owners and employers facilitating such arrangements.”
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The warning comes amid the government’s ongoing crackdown on undocumented Afghan nationals, many of whom have already been deported.
Talal Chaudhry said the decision has been formally conveyed to all provincial governments and law enforcement agencies for strict implementation.
He further stressed that all dealings or employment in Pakistan must involve only those individuals who can present valid documentation, irrespective of their nationality.
No extension for Afghan nationals
Talal Chaudhry announced that the April 30 deadline for the repatriation of Afghan nationals will not be extended.
He further said that Afghan citizens had been treated as guests in Pakistan for over four decades, but modern-day international norms demand proper documentation for residency.
The minister revealed that a second phase of the repatriation process began on April 1, during which 84,869 Afghan nationals have been sent back to their country so far. Among them were 25,320 holders of Afghan Citizen Cards (ACC), while the rest had no legal documents.
He said the returnees are first placed at designated transit points — primarily in Punjab, but also in Islamabad, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh, Balochistan, Azad Kashmir, and Gilgit.
He clarified that the Islamabad transit point is in the Haj complex, not in a police station or detention centre, providing facilities such as medical care, security, and transport before sending people to the Afghan border.
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Talal Chaudhry said Islamabad remains in contact with the Afghan government to ensure a dignified and peaceful resettlement of returnees. He also confirmed that a high-powered delegation led by the deputy prime minister will soon visit Afghanistan with a message of goodwill.
On the issue of document fraud, the minister said several friendly countries, including Saudi Arabia, GCC states and Western nations, had raised concerns about fake Pakistani passports being used by non-citizens. “This damaged Pakistan’s international reputation,” he said, adding that a strict “One Document Regime” is now being enforced.
Talal said Pakistan offers online visas to citizens of 126 countries, and in the last two years, more than one million visas have been issued to Afghan nationals under 16 different categories, including education, health, tourism, and business.
He said about 20 per cent of the Afghan visa holders request extensions, and most are granted them. The federal interior ministry reviews the situation weekly, and all provinces have set up helplines to address complaints.
Responding to reports about alleged mistreatment, Talal Chaudhry said that recent claims—including the supposed death of an Afghan woman—turned out to be fake and were meant to damage relations between the two countries.
He concluded that a total of 907,391 undocumented foreigners have so far been repatriated to Afghanistan in both phases of the government’s operation.