Description

On 26 September 2023, the Ministry of the Interior of the Government of Pakistan issued the Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan (IFRP), 2023. The plan intends to regulate foreigners in Pakistan and to ensure that foreigners staying illegally or overstaying their visa validity are deported back to their parent countries. Section 3 of the Foreigners Act, 1946 empowers the Federal Government to regulate or restrict the entry of foreigners into Pakistan or their departure there from or their presence or continued presence therein. 

The plan comprises of mechanisms to consolidate the databases of illegal foreigners in the country, check entry of new illegal entrants, apprehension/deportation/repatriation of illegal/ overstaying foreigners and implementation of a One Document Regime. The plan also suggests measures for enhancing the capacity of the Federal Investigative Agency (FIA) and Customs for effective control at border crossing points. To oversee the implementation of the plan, the formulation of a Joint Implementation Committee at the Federal, Provincial, Divisional, and District levels has been proposed in the plan. 

The Process of Repatriation of Illegal Immigrants 

1. Phase-I 
   • Identification and concurrent deportation/forced repatriation of illegal/ unregistered/ overstaying foreigners 
   • Concurrent efforts for evacuation of Afghans to 3rd countries 
2. Phase-II 
   • Deportation of ACC holders' 
   • Prior to initiation of this stage, consensus be built among all stakeholders.
3. Phase-III
   • On completion of Stage-2, forced repatriation of POR Card holders; 
   • prior to initiation of this stage, consensus be built among all stakeholders in accordance with UNHCR conventions.