The government decided to punish and put on a blacklist any illegal immigrants living in Pakistan who did not take advantage of the broad amnesty before it expired on December 31.
The National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) has been instructed by the interior ministry to stop extending the scheme’s benefits after the deadline. Additionally, the government instructed Nadra to add foreign nationals on a blacklist who have been overstaying in Pakistan for more than a year after the program’s expiration.
The letter, a copy of which is on file with Dawn, stated that such foreign nationals would receive a single exit permit before being added to the restricted list, but their exit requests would only be approved after payment of the appropriate fine. The interior ministry has also given Nadra instructions to start charging overstay fees for exit permits on January 1. To collect fines for exit permits, the government has been instructed to make adjustments to the Pakistan Online Visa System (POVS).
Foreigners who have overstayed their visas in Pakistan are issued exit permits by the Ministry of Interior. Foreign nationals who have overstayed for up to a year receive permits through POVS, whereas those who have overstayed for longer than a year receive manual permits after paying a fine.
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The ministry requested that Indian and Somali nationals manually apply for the permits. An official claims that a broad amnesty was declared in July to allow foreign nationals who had overstayed their visas to leave Pakistan without paying any fees until December 31.
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