Caretaker Punjab Information Minister Amir Mir has said that the provincial government has detained a total of 99,000 refugees illegally living in the country.

“Before the October 31 deadline, 99,000 illegal refugees have been detained, out of which 33,000 have been found to not have any documents and were illegally staying in the province,” he told a press conference in Lahore on Friday.

On October 3, Interim Interior Minister Sarfraz Bugti said that illegal foreign nationals residing in Pakistan have until November 1, 2023, to leave the country as part of the government’s crackdown on illegal immigrants.

The provincial government has built 36 “holding areas” in Punjab to keep these foreigners, he said, adding that they will be deported soon.

“Women and children be kept separately with dignity. Those leaving voluntarily will be allowed to carry an amount of Rs50,000,” the minister said.

Mir said that the government is currently discussing the options on how and from where these illegal immigrants will be expelled. “Those who will be sent back through Torkham Border will be handed over to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government.”

Punjab has been directed to deport the illegal refugees on Friday, October 27, and Saturday, October 28, he said, adding that the provincial cabinet has approved the operational plan of deportation.

Read: Won’t come under pressure over illegal refugees expulsion, says minister

“Only those will be deported who are living illegally in the country. This is not a community-specific action but against all illegal immigrants present in the country,” Mir said.

He reiterated the government’s stance that all illegal refugees will have to leave Pakistan before November 1. “A crackdown will be launched against the illegal immigrants after the deadline.”

“Those foreigners who want to leave the country voluntarily even after October 31, will be allowed to leave. They will not be stopped if they want to leave,” the minister said.

However, those foreigners who are living in Pakistan illegally will be caught and deported, he added.

In the initial stage, the government is initiating action against those who do not have any documents, Mir stated.

“Swift action will taken against Pakistani nationals giving refugee or renting homes to foreigners after the November 1 deadline,” he added.