KARACHI: Karachi police have launched a full-scale operation against illegally staying foreigners in the city.
According to media reports, the operation began on the night of November 1 and is targeting a total of more than 165,000 illegal immigrants residing in the seven districts of the city.
Law enforcement agencies are prepared for resistance in the Superhighway, especially in Sohrab Goth and surrounding communities.
In the first phase of the operation, the police arrested 4 foreign (Afghan) residents. The arrested persons have been moved to a holding camp for foreigners in Sultanabad.
In the second phase, the police will arrest and deport illegal documents holders to their countries after being punished according to Pakistani law. Their illegally acquired properties will also be confiscated.
In the third phase, the police will demolish the settlements occupied by foreigners in other areas of the city including the Superhighway. Heavy machinery will also be used to demolish the illegal settlements and strict legal action will be taken against those who resist.
Apart from Sindh Police, Rangers and other law enforcement agencies will also be involved in the operation.
According to the official data, more or less 75 thousand 734 foreigners live in District East, 9 thousand 527 in District Central, 7 thousand 7 in District South, 13 thousand 139 in District Malir and 8 thousand 946 in District Kemari. In Gulzar Hijri alone, 65 thousand 888 foreigners have settled by forming illegal societies.
Foreigners are working in different societies and neighborhoods including Gulshan Iqbal, Gulistan Johar, Scheme 33, collecting garbage from houses, driving Jamdari, Suzuki pickup, Shehzor and Mazda trucks.
In many areas, foreign residents are partners of junk shops, ovens, tea, etc. hotels, retail shops, small and large bags of cement and gravel, besides the construction works in the New Vegetable Market, they also invest large capital and contributions in other works.
Foreigners who have settled for the past several years currently own bungalows worth crores of rupees in posh areas of Karachi, including Defence, Clifton, Gulshan Iqbal and Gulistan Johar. They also own shops worth crores and billions of rupees in most markets across the city and carry on other businesses including smuggled clothes.
Police officials said that most of them are foreign nationals who have not only performed Hajj and Umrah on Pakistani passports but often go to many countries including Dubai for business purposes.
SSP Irfan Bahadur said that the evacuation of illegally resident Afghans will not only improve the business in Karachi but also reduce the crime rate.
