ISLAMABAD: Some 154,205 Pakistani nationals were deported from different countries worldwide, over illegal entry, in three years—2021, 2022 and 2023—Interior Ministry informed the Upper House of the Parliament on Tuesday.
As many as 58,758 Pakistanis were deported in the year 2021, 51,869 were deported in 2022 and 43,578 in 2023, read a written reply from the Interior Ministry during question hour at the Senate session, in response to a question posed by Kamran Murtaza from Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazal (JUI-F).
The JUI-F senator sought from the ministry the details of Pakistani nationals deported in three years.
The ministry’s written reply suggested 39,201 Pakistanis were deported by air and 19,557 by land route in 2021, 46,193 were deported by air and 5,676 by land route in 2022, and 37,487 Pakistanis were deported by air and 6,091 by land route in the year 2023.
In addition, 19 European countries deported 17,773 Pakistani nationals from 2021-2023; 1,270 Pakistanis in 2021, 12,837 in 2022 and 3,666 in 2023, according to the Interior Ministry.
Most of the times, the ministry stated, death cases of immigrants who attempt to cross international borders illegally are not reported to Federal Investigation Agency (FIA.)
The last reported case was the Greece boat tragedy that took place in April 2023, it added.
Apart from that, Leader of the Opposition in Senate Dr Shahzad Waseem expressed concern over rejection of hundreds of nomination papers of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidates by the returning officers (ROs) ahead of general elections.
“An election that becomes controversial can no more be regarded as election—what kind of election is this that fails to provide level playing field to everyone?” he deplored.
The opposition leader pointed out the absence of majority of caretaker ministers during Senate question hour. Chairman Senate Sadiq Sanjrani directed the secretary Senate to write to the caretaker premier for ensuring the attendance of the caretaker ministers during Senate question hour.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024