South Asia

Pakistan warns of strict action against illegal refugees

Pakistan’s caretaker minister of interior Sarfraz Bugti warned that severe action, including deportation, will be taken against refugees in the country who lack legal documents.

Addressing a press conference on Sunday, Bugti said: “We have formed a policy. The cabinet may confirm it next week, based on which, all illegal refugees, from whichever country they are, as they cannot live in other countries illegally, so in our country also only legal refugees will be accepted. But the illegal refugees will be deported from wherever they are.”

Bugti also called on the Taliban to adhere to the Doha Agreement which ensures that Afghan soil will not be used against any country.

“The existing government in Afghanistan made an agreement in Doha. In the agreement, they pledged with the world that they will not allow their soil to be used against other countries. This is our expectation from them,” he said.

The Pakistan Foreign Minister, Jalil Abbas Jilani also said on Sunday that the Tehreek-e-Talian Pakistan were coming in to Pakistan from Afghanistan.

“This is too early to say whether Afghans were among them, or [if] they were just the TTP. The issue is who attacked us? They are all terrorists for us. Whoever attacks us, we will respond to them. You will see our response,” he said.

This comes amid an uptick in attacks by the TTP against Pakistan in the past month.