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Pakistan’s ‘forced’ repatriation of Afghans not in line with int’l laws: EU

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  • EU in contact with Pakistan authorities, int’l aid agencies. 
  • Repatriation raising many questions, says EU spokesperson.
  • EU says it conveyed its concerns to Pakistan government.

BRUSSELS: The European Union has raised concerns over the repatriation of Afghan nationals, saying that Pakistan’s action is not in line with its commitments towards international laws, The News reported Friday. 

More than 200,000 people have left Pakistan in a mass exodus after the government’s deportation orders of up to 1.7 million illegal migrants. The government had given an ultimatum to the undocumented foreigners, saying they would face arrest and expulsion after November 1.

Pakistan has said the deportations are to protect its “welfare and security” after a sharp rise in attacks, which the government blames on militants operating from Afghanistan.

During a mid-day briefing, a spokesperson for the European External Action Service, Peter Stano, said: “We are monitoring the situation and we are not only in contact with Pakistan’s authorities but also with the international aid agencies working in Pakistan and Afghanistan.”

He said the repatriation of one million illegal Afghan immigrants in Pakistan is raising many questions, particularly in the context that they belong to different ethnic groups. 

“Our general position is that Pakistan’s action is not in line with its commitments towards international laws, particularly in the situation when the Taliban government in Afghanistan is against women’s rights and various ethnic groups,” said Stano.

The spokesperson added the EU has conveyed its concerns to the Pakistan government because when the forcibly repatriated immigrants will try to return to Pakistan due to unfavourable circumstances in Afghanistan, their lives will be in more danger.

“It is a matter of concern and we are in contact with our partners and Pakistan’s government,” Stano said.

Afghans continue to return from Iran

Meanwhile, Iran’s top border official said a day earlier that the number of Afghans coming home from Iran has doubled in the past month. 

At least 14,480 Afghans have crossed at Islam Qala in four days since the weekend, said Abdullah Qayomi, head of refugee affairs at the busy crossing near the western Afghan city of Herat.

“Iran has not announced it (that they are deporting Afghans) but continuously there is no decline in our figures, they are only increasing day by day,” Qayomi said.

Afghans arriving at Islam Qala report being detained and deported, even if some of them had documents allowing them to be in Iran. 

Iran, which shares a 900-kms border with Afghanistan, hosts one of the largest refugee populations in the world, made up mostly of well-integrated Afghans who arrived over the past 40 years after fleeing conflict. An estimated 4.5 million Afghans currently live in Iran, according to the International Organisation for Migration, though Tehran estimates there are more than five million.

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Over Pakistan, Rain and Snowfall Are Expected Over the Next Three Days

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As a succession of westerly winds sweep into the upper areas of Pakistan, rain is expected to fall during the following three days.

The Meteorological Department forecasts snowfall in mountainous regions and rainfall in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan. There will be rain in Balochistan and the Punjabi plains, including Islamabad and Rawalpindi.

In addition, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, Kashmir, Upper Punjab, Islamabad, and Northeastern Balochistan are scheduled to see strong winds, thunderstorms, and partly overcast weather during the course of the next day.

Since last month, there has been mild to severe haze in some portions of the country’s upper regions. The capital of Punjab, Lahore, as well as cities like Multan and Sialkot, are among the areas most severely impacted by dense fog.

Other regions of the nation will see dry weather in the interim. It is anticipated that most of Punjab will see morning smog and fog, which will eventually dissipate by nightfall.

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Dar chairs the CCOP meeting; Blue World’s bid offer of Rs.10 billion is rejected.

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The Foreign Minister/Deputy Prime Minister chaired the Cabinet Committee on Privatization meeting.

Other committee members who attended the conference included the Federal Secretaries of several Divisions, the Ministers of Finance and Revenue, Industry and Food, Commerce, Power, and Privatization.

The CCOP took the PC Board’s recommendation into consideration and suggested that Blue World’s bid of 10 billion rupees for the sale of 60% of PIACL’s shares be rejected. The bid was rejected by the CCOP, who chose to follow the PC Board’s advice.

The government’s determination to sell out PIACL through government-to-government or privatization was reaffirmed by the CCOP.

The CCOP was pleased with the Aviation Division’s evaluation of PIACL’s sound financial standing.

Additionally, the CCOP established a committee, chaired by the Minister of State for Finance, to assess potential transaction possibilities for the privatization of the Roosevelt Hotel and the appropriate modes of adoption in light of existing legal rules.

Prior to its subsequent meeting, the CCOP also ordered that all difficulties be resolved and an agreement for the selling of services to an international hotel be concluded.

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Combating Terrorism: Twelve Terrorists Destroyed in Separate Operations by Security Forces

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Eleven terrorists and Kharijis were killed in two separate intelligence-based operations in Balochistan’s Miran Shah District and North Waziristan. One of the victims was Sana Alias Baru, a high-value target.

In the vicinity of Miran Shah in North Waziristan, security forces successfully fought the Khwarij, leading to the death of eight and injury of six.

The general region of Balgatar, Kech District, Balochistan was earlier the scene of an Intelligence-Based Operation that resulted in the deaths of four terrorists, one of them was a high-value target.

Authorities in Kech District were actively seeking Baru, who had a pivotal role in recruiting members of the so-called Majeed Brigade, particularly suicide bombers.

Among the terrorists’ possessions were weapons and ammo.

In order to eradicate any lingering terrorists in the vicinity, a sanitation operation is currently under progress.

With unwavering resolve, the Pakistani security forces will eradicate the terrorist threat from the nation.

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