Political forces have pulled back illegal immigrants from registering themselves with the National Aliens Registration Authority (Nara), which has resulted in drastic decline in registration process during last few years.
Sources in Nara told PPI on Monday that only around 60, 000 illegal adult immigrants and around 45,000 minors have registered themselves with Nara and only around 1000 have secured work-permits against estimated 4.8 million illegal immigrants present in the country.
The population of Karachi shot up due to large number of Bengali, Burmese, Indian illegal immigrants around 2.5 million and refugees from Afghanistan, sources told adding that political forces use these aliens as their vote bank while the industrialists employ them for being cheap labour. Like in the past, the political forces are again active currently to patronise the illegal immigrants in the wake of ensuing general elections.
Sources mentioned that Nara's special "Bangladesh Cell" carries search operations and arrests illegal immigrants without Nara card and also those aliens who get computerised national identity card (CNIC) illegally.
"All aliens who had arrived in Pakistan before January 2000, and do not have any passport or visa could obtain Nara card from offices at Ibrahim Hyderi, Fisheries, Karimabad and Site for one year by simply paying Rs 200, which would enable them to open bank accounts, get education in public sector schools, get utility services, driving license and can buy and register vehicles while the work permits allow them work freely and legally" sources said.
Bengalis and Burmese usually reside in large settlements similar to Katchi Abadis around industrial areas of Karachi, including Korangi, Site, Landhi, New Karachi, Orangi town, F.B. Area and harbour areas etc.
The largest Bengali Para in Machhar Colony has a population of about 50,000 whereas the other areas where Bengalis reside are Moosa Colony, near Karimabad, Ibrahim Hyderi, Burmese Colony, Keamari and Zia Colony Gulshan-e-Iqbal, apart from numerous other Katchi Abadis in Karachi.
Most of Bengalis and Burmese are employed as low-paid workers in small and medium sized factories and fishery-related industry. More than 90 percent of sugarcane juice machines are operated and sometimes even owned by Bengalis.