US reaction over Pakistan expelling illegal immigrants
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In Islamabad, senior diplomats revealed that the United States has no objections to Pakistan's actions against illegal immigrants. Pakistani diplomats in contact with the US informed The Nation that Washington believes Pakistan's actions do not affect refugees with legal status.
One diplomat stated, "The US has no issues if we take action against illegal immigrants, and we have no plans to act against refugees with legal status." Another diplomat mentioned that the US has been kept informed about the situation, including concerns about terrorism originating from Afghanistan.
Recently, Pakistan announced a crackdown on undocumented migrants within the country, with expulsion plans set for next month. This has raised concerns, especially among the estimated 1.7 million Afghan nationals lacking proper documentation.
Caretaker Interior Minister Sarfraz Bugti emphasized that this crackdown is not exclusively aimed at Afghans but applies to migrants of all nationalities, even though the majority in Pakistan are Afghan nationals.
This move occurs amid strained relations between Pakistan and neighboring Afghanistan, which is now under Taliban rule. Pakistan accuses militants of conducting attacks on its soil and using Afghanistan as a safe haven.
