Crackdown on 1.8m illegal immigrants in the offing
More than 1.8million illegal immigrants living in the metropolis would face a massive crackdown within a couple of days, as they have failed to get themselves registered with the National Aliens Registration Authority (Nara), official sources said. “We are going to launch a massive crackdown against the aliens living in Karachi and this time the action will also be taken against those who have employed these illegal immigrants,” said Mazhar Ali Shaikh, Director-General Nara. He said the matter was discussed in the previous meetings of the federal cabinet and the authorities had directed Sindh police to crack down on the illegal immigrants in consultation with Nara. He informed this correspondent that the special branch of Sindh police has arrested some Bengalis from Kharadar area who have been living there illegally.
The official sources disclosed that so far Nara registered only 33,702 aliens throughout the country. The registered aliens hailed from 35 countries, including Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, Mayanmar, China, Albania, Venezuela, Syria, Australia, Rwanda, Benin and other countries round the world. “According to a survey of Nara, about one million Bengalis are working in different industries and factories of the metropolis, but only 24,237 of them preferred to get themselves registered with Nara,” said a senior government official, requesting anonymity.
He said the aliens did not want to come into the net of Nara, as they believed that after getting themselves registered they would face more problems. The official observed that despite the fact that December 31, 2003 had been set as deadline for the registration, it would become very difficult for the authorities concerned to bring even 50 per cent of the total population of aliens under Nara’s net. The official was of the view that launching a crackdown against the aliens was not the real solution. “There is a need to attract the illegal immigrants towards registration and to inform them of its advantages, otherwise the whole exercise would be a
futile one,” he said.
It also means that people who had cheap domestic labour or cheap unskileld workers will lose some workers. Many of the illegals are exploited..not to say that citizens are not exploited by others, but lets see whatthis means to ppl who have maasis and what nots who are there illegally. I suppose the illegal maasis will be replaced by legal ones, but i doubt they will get better pay or worker protection laws or anything
Well, Karachi is one city in South Asia as well as in Pakistan where external as well as internal migration goes on unabated. The search for livelihood drives these people to cross borders. Almost 20% of Karachi's population consists of migrants who have migrated from other South Asian countries. They provide cheap labour , much like the Afghanis who have replaced the pushtoons; the Bengalis, Burmese provide the workforce in the fishing industry as well as work in the informal sector as homebased employees. I believe it is very important that these people are registered with the authorities. While it is not possible to keep a check on the mobility of any migrant, however, it is important to have data in this regard because it creates all sorts of problems.
The emerging problem in South Asia is the growing number of HIV/AIDS patients in India and migrants have been identified as the most vulnerable and active agents that can act as carriers. While it is too early to say anything on this issue, however, the window of opportunity that Pakistan has now should be availed. The influx of migrants cannot be curbed, migration cannot be curtailed altogether, however, adequate steps must be taken in this regard.
Fraudz, you know what, in Pakistan there are no safety nets or workers protection laws for people working in the informal sector. Well, even the formal sector isn't fully covered under the social security act. Khair, thats beyond the scope of this discussion.
cheap labor=sex=drug abuse=blood transfusion or blood being sold to earn livlihood= AIDS/Hepitites ......thats a recipe for disaster.
Most of them are from Afghanistan, and we all know why they came to Pakistan... Even after the war they didnt go back thanks to the talibz... Most of the richer ones fled Pakistan in the first chance to other western countries, whereas the poorer ones have their danna-panni written in Pakistan now. Inspite of the fact that alot of them went back after the Talibz got booted, there is still a sizable population that remains. Instead of being racist, and enjoying the treatment they are going to get from our beloved policemen, the Government should legalize their status.
Surprisingly, I havent ever come across persecuted and poverty ridden people from Venezuela, Syria, Australia, Rwanda coming to pakistn as the link suggests???
YEah, you are right. Afghaniz also count in, infact they are in majority. I agree with you that those who have spent a sizeable chunck of their lives in PAkistan and are earning their livelihood within our borders should be granted our citizenship (many of them already have our ID cards") But that should be on a condition. They should be reprimanded if they are found suppporting any anti-state(read Taliban or any other Pashtoon faction or NAlliance). I mean they can't have both ways.
This unchecked influx of refugees and illegal migrants must be documented.
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*Originally posted by Zakk: *
I thought the largest group were Bengalis and Indians?
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That's probably true, especially as the majority of Afghans have now gone back to Afghanistan. I have seen estimates of between 1.5 to 2.0 million Bangladeshi's in Karachi/Sindh, and I know for a fact there is a pretty large Burmese colony in Karachi - I think it's called 'Burmi colony'? Plus I have seen quite a lot of Central Asians in Karachi as well.