Pakistan has urged all countries accepting foreign migrants, mainly Afghans, from the country to expedite their visa and approval processes to ensure smooth resettling for undocumented foreigners, reports say.
“We are engaged with a number of countries, including the United States, regarding the resettlement of Afghan individuals in third countries. These consultations continue and Pakistan has urged these governments to expedite their visas and approval processes so that they can leave for their destinations without further delay,” Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch was quoted as saying in the reports.
To a query, the Pakistan official disclosed that around a dozen countries are involved in this process.
Without naming any country, she said in some cases, the lists provided by these countries were under discussion between the two sides. She, however, stressed that mere inclusion of names of the refugees in these lists does not necessarily mean that the countries concerned have agreed to issue visas to them.
“That is why Pakistan is in contact with these countries to ensure swift decisions in terms of their settlement to third countries,” she remarked.
Meanwhile, thousands of migrants, who crossed over to Pakistan over the years in search of a better life, have already left for their native countries. According to reports, most of the foreigners were not happy leaving Pakistan as they claimed to have lived there for decades and did not have anything to look forward to in their native states.
Financial crisis-hit Pakistan had announced November 1 as the deadline to leave the country for all residing there without valid documents. Forced deportation began after the deadline for the illegal people to vacate the country ended.