Pakistan Blocks Passports of Over 10,000 Citizens Deported from Iran for Illegal Entry
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Islamabad, Dec 31 (NationPress) Pakistan has taken the significant step of blocking the passports of over 10,000 of its citizens who were deported from Iran after being apprehended while attempting to use this route to enter Europe unlawfully.
This action is part of the government's broader initiative against illegal human traffickers, following a tragic incident where over 40 Pakistanis lost their lives when a boat carrying illegal immigrants capsized in Greek waters.
Sources from Pakistan's Interior Ministry indicate that passports of 10,454 individuals have been blocked after their arrest by Iranian authorities for illegally entering their territory.
"These individuals attempted to enter Iran from Pakistan's Balochistan province and its porous borders. Their ultimate goal was Europe. They were trafficked by local agents in Pakistan and Iran, with additional contacts ready to assist them in their illegal journey to Europe," a ministry official shared with IANS.
"After their arrest, these individuals were handed over to Pakistani officials at the Taftan border in Balochistan's Chagai district," he added.
The arrests underscore the alarming trend of individuals seeking illegal means to escape Pakistan and reach Europe via Iran.
The Ministry of Interior reported that it is currently working to block the passports of thousands more individuals who have been arrested and deported from various countries.
As per reports, at least 2,470 passports of individuals involved in drug-related offenses in the UAE have already been blocked, along with 1,500 passports of those deported from Iraq and over 4,000 passports of individuals detained in Saudi Arabia.
The majority of these individuals hail from Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) provinces.
Syed Liaqat Banori, Chairman of the Society of Human Rights and Prisoners' Aid (SHARP) Pakistan, remarked, "Most of the individuals resorting to such dangerous, unpredictable, and unconventional routes are young people, including several minors."
"Shockingly, families of these individuals often support their actions, even when they are aware of the life-threatening risks involved. The human trafficking network is extensive and spans multiple countries," he stated.
The issue of human trafficking is not new in Pakistan. In 2023, at least 8,272 Pakistanis were arrested in Iran for illegally crossing from the Balochistan borders. Reports indicate that the illegal transfer of Pakistanis occurs through at least five districts along the Balochistan-Iran border, including Kech, Gwadar, Chagai, Washuk, and Panjgur.
"Between 2020 and 2024, over 62,000 Pakistani citizens, primarily from Punjab, were arrested for illegally entering Iran from Pakistan," Banori revealed.
This growing human trafficking issue has become a significant embarrassment for Pakistan, as thousands of these illegal immigrants have been deported from countries such as the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Iran, and others for engaging in criminal activities like drug trafficking and begging.
