Karachi: Some 1.8 million illegal residents living in Pakistan's largest city of Karachi will be given legal status as part of steps to combat extremism and control crimes in the megapolis, Gulf News has learnt.
The orders to legalise what the government called "aliens" was given by President Asif Ali Zardari during a recent high-level meeting in Karachi held to review the security situation in the city with an estimated population of more than 16 million. Apart from reports of illegals being involved in "terrorism" activities, they also contributes to the city's law-and-order problems.
He, however, warned that illegal immigrants should not be harassed and the authorities should create an atmosphere of trust among them so that they could get themselves registered.
"The stay of illegals should be documented and their residency permits issued under a legal format but they will not get the right to vote," Zardari directed the authorities concerned.
Highly placed officials told Gulf News that President Zardari stressed the need for issuing residency permit to "aliens" [foreigners living illegally] in Karachi. "This will help improve law and order in the city," he argued.
Zardari said that the government's top priority was to make Karachi a safe city in order to attract investment, promote industrialisation and boost economy.
Keeping an eye
"We cannot see development in Karachi if we cannot provide security. Investment will automatically come if we provide security," Zardari told the meeting.
Zardari said that people came to Karachi in search of jobs from all over the country and even from abroad. "We need to accommodate them but simultaneously we also need to keep a watch on them because criminals and terrorists can also make their way into the city along with migrants from the tribal areas. We need to register all newcomers and police should have record of these people."
More than 1.8 million illegal immigrants are reportedly living in the metropolis. The National Aliens Registration Authority (Nara) has already started an operation to register the illegal residents.
An official said that "aliens" living in the city hail from more than 35 countries, including Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, Mayanmar, China, Albania, Venezuela, Syria, Australia, Rwanda, and Benin.
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.
An official told Gulf News that the President's decision to "go easy" with "aliens", would encourage them to get registered with the Nara because they have so far been keeping away for fear of legal action. However, he thinks the December 31 deadline in unlikely to be met.
