Authorities began arresting illegal refugees on Wednesday as the deadline for their voluntary return expired. The refugees are being shifted to holding centres established across the country.

The Ministry of Interior has allowed the arrest of illegal refugees after the expiry of the deadline, arrest of foreigners residing illegally in Pakistan has been allowed.

The Ministry of Interior has issued clear instructions to the concerned authorities in the form of a notification that every option including the arrest of such illegal resident foreigners should be used to implement the government’s decision.

The government has informed all the provinces that from today, people residing illegally in Pakistan will be arrested.

Arrest warrants have also been issued to the district administration, police, and jail authorities. However, under-trial and convicted accused will not be sent back.

The government began taking action early on Wednesday, with four Afghan refugees being arrested from Saddar in Karachi who were shifted to a holding camp.

In Islamabad, 64 refugees were arrested and shifted to the holding camp established in Haji Camp.

Balochistan’s caetaker interior minister annonced on Wednesday that 100 illegal refugees were arrested after the expiration of the deadline.

Reports added that this is the first time action is being taken under the Foreigners Act 1946.

Authorities have identified 200,000 illegal refugees in Sindh and 300,000 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The government has used mapping and geo-fencing to gather data about refugees.

Reports said that a total of 883 comprising of 21,536 people returned voluntarily to Afghanistan on the last day of the deadline.

Since October 1, a total of 104,085 illegal refugees have voluntarily returned to Afghanistan. The number includes 28,000 men, 19,700 women and 56,000 children.