The Cabinet has advised the concerned authorities to protect national interests while negotiating the issue of deportation of illegal Pakistanis from the United Kingdom (UK) and Northern Ireland, sources told Business Recorder. "It's a sensitive issue, negotiators must watch national interests with full concentration and in line with the guidelines provided by the Cabinet committee," sources quoted one Minister as saying in the previous Cabinet meeting.
Pakistan and the UK will issue an official joint statement during the stay of President Pervez Musharraf, who reached London on Sunday to discuss the bilateral and international issues with Prime Minister Tony Blair.
At the conclusion of negotiations, both countries will announce that they have agreed to expedite the process negotiations on a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the deportation of illegal Pakistanis.
The Cabinet, sources said, was informed that the existing status of MoU on managed immigration with other major countries in the region should also be ascertained with a view to examine how national interest was protected in such cases.
Some Cabinet members, sources said, were worried about the proposed deportation of 100 Pakistanis monthly, and suggested that Pakistan should weigh the implications of the procedure prescribed in the draft MoUs and ensure reasonable time-line.
"The Cabinet proposed that repatriation of immigrants should only be effected as a last resort, after having exhausted all options of legal redress, including the right of appeal," sources said.