ISLAMABAD – Pakistan’s High Commissioner in Malaysia Amna Baloch has saidthat 8,284 illegally migrated Pakistanis had returned home from Malaysiaunder a four-month ‘Back4good’ amnesty scheme launched in August last year.
The scheme, that expired on December 31, 2019, was aimed at ensuring thevoluntary return of illegal immigrants to their respective countrieswithout any plenty, she said in an exclusive talk with APP.
Giving general break-up, she said some 2,509 Pakistanis took benefit of thescheme during December, 1,880 in August, 1,216 in September, 1,275 inOctober and 1,404 in November.
Amna said each illegal immigrant had to pay 700 Ringgits to get the‘Out-Pass’ from the immigration authorities in Malaysia.
She said payment of the Out-Pass for several Pakistani illegal immigrantswere made by the High Commission and philanthropists based in Malaysia.
Amna Baloch said the High Commission had issued General Emergency Passportsto 1,480 Pakistanis illegal immigrants and over 350 Gratis EmergencyPassports to Pakistani prisoners during the last five months for expeditingtheir repatriation process.
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Highlighting Pakistan government’s initiatives, she said it had madespecial arrangements for additional flights operations to Kuala Lumpurduring the last five months to ensure their timely repatriation.
To a query, she said some 82,000 Pakistanis were living across Malaysialegally and there was still a specific number of Pakistanis who wereresiding there unlawfully.
About action taken by the Malaysian authority after the expiry of scheme,she said immigration authorities along with a team of 1,000 voluntarieswere systematically identifying illegal immigrants and sending them back totheir respective countries. Majority of the expelled expats were from othercountries and ‘only a few Pakistanis are among them,’ she added.
She said Pakistani High Commission in Malaysia was in contact with localauthorities to ensure ‘registered employment’ for Pakistani manpower andadded “We are taking measures to encourage emigration of Pakistanis throughlegal channels.”
