Statement by the Spokesperson, Ministry of the Foreign Affairs Pakistan
The following statement is attributable to the Spokesperson, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, in response to media queries:
“We have seen the press statement by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. The Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan (IFRP) applies to all illegal foreigners residing in Pakistan, irrespective of their nationality and country of origin. The decision is in exercise of Pakistan’s sovereign domestic laws, and compliant with applicable international norms and principles.
All foreign nationals legally residing/registered in Pakistan are beyond the purview of this Plan. The Government of Pakistan takes its commitments towards protection and safety needs of those in vulnerable situations with utmost seriousness. Our record of the last forty years in hosting millions of our Afghan brothers and sisters speaks for itself. The international community must scale up collective efforts to address protracted refugee situations through advancing durable solutions as a matter of priority. Pakistan will continue to work with our international partners to this end.”
Editor: Raja Kamran