KARACHI: The Sindh Assembly on Tuesday unanimously passed a resolution condemning illegal immigration, while MQM accused Afghan residents in the province of involvement in “criminal” activities.
On a private members day, political parties from both sides of the house supported the resolution, which the PPP’s lawmaker, Heer Ismail Soho had tabled, seeking expulsion of all illegal immigrants, indiscriminately.
The discussion, which saw intense exchanges between government and opposition members, also sparked uproar in the assembly when a female PPP member used the term “muhajir”.
Heer Soho, the mover of the motion, urged seriousness in addressing the issue, emphasizing the need for registration of immigrants like every country. She said that her move was racially and ethnically unbiased and aimed at seeking solutions to the issue.
Participating in the debate, Sindh Local Government Minister, Saeed Ghani remarked that whenever the issue of illegal immigrants arises, it is mistakenly assumed to target a specific community or area legally residing in the country.
He emphasized that the move is not against any legal residents and all should collectively demand the expulsion of illegal immigrants.
PPP’s Agha Siraj Durrani voiced his full support for Heer Soho’s motion, stating that Sindh has always shown generosity but emphasized that no one has the power to separate Karachi from Sindh. He added that it is the federal government’s responsibility to deport illegal immigrants.
Jamaat-e-Islami’s Muhammad Farooq raised the question of how Pakistan could recognize those who have migrated twice as foreigners, calling for the respectful repatriation of Biharis currently residing in Bangladesh.
He suggested that all immigrants without identity cards should be sent back and urged for a mechanism to deport illegal residents. Farooq asserted that those who migrated based on their faith in Islam have a rightful claim over all of Pakistan.
PPP’s Tanzila Qambrani labeled unregistered individuals as a “burden” on Pakistan and Sindh, stressing the need to expel those illegally residing in the province.
PPP’s Sham Sunder Advani underscored the need to prevent illegal immigrants from entering and underscored the importance of their deportation.
MQM’s Ijaz-ul-Haq highlighted the urgent need for legal action against illegal immigrants, especially in the prevailing economic crisis in Pakistan. He pointed out the involvement of Afghan nationals in “criminal” activities.
Sindh Parliamentary Affairs, Zia-ul-Hassan Lanjar reiterated that anyone without legal citizenship should be considered illegal, regardless of their sect or region and assured that the federal government is working on this issue.
He added that Sindh, already burdened with many problems, cannot bear the additional strain of illegal immigrants and supported the motion.
While PPP’s Marvi Rashdi accused Nadra of issuing identity cards to illegal immigrants. Her speech was met with protests from the opposition over the term “muhajir”. The protest forced her to clarify that she was referring to illegal immigrants. She stated that no illegal person should be allowed to stay in the province, calling for strict policies and laws to curb the influx. The Sindh Assembly session was subsequently adjourned until Friday afternoon.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
Comments
Comments are closed.