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More than 600 Pakistanis deported by Oman return home
Karachi, Nov 22: More than 600 Pakistanis arrested in Oman months ago for illegal entry returned home today after being deported, a Pakistani official said.
Karachi, Nov 22: More than 600 Pakistanis arrested
in Oman months ago for illegal entry returned home today after
being deported, a Pakistani official said.
The 608 men arrived on two cargo boats in the southern
port city of Karachi, said Abdul Malik, deputy director of the
Federal Investigation Agency, which deals with immigration
laws in Pakistan.
He said the men will be freed after questioning.
It is the second time this month that Pakistani illegal immigrants have been deported by Oman following talks between officials of the two countries. On Nov 14, 605 Pakistanis were deported after being held for months for entering Oman without valid documents.
It was not clear how many Pakistanis were still held in Oman. Migrants often go to the wealthy Middle Eastern nation to find work.
Many of those returning today had allegedly paid human smugglers to enter Oman without visas, Malik said.
The smugglers charge sums ranging from 10,000 to 30,000 rupees (US$200 to US$600), a huge amount in this poor Islamic nation, where nearly one-third of the nation's 140 million people earn less than 750 rupees (US$15) a month.
Bureau Report
He said the men will be freed after questioning.
It is the second time this month that Pakistani illegal immigrants have been deported by Oman following talks between officials of the two countries. On Nov 14, 605 Pakistanis were deported after being held for months for entering Oman without valid documents.
It was not clear how many Pakistanis were still held in Oman. Migrants often go to the wealthy Middle Eastern nation to find work.
Many of those returning today had allegedly paid human smugglers to enter Oman without visas, Malik said.
The smugglers charge sums ranging from 10,000 to 30,000 rupees (US$200 to US$600), a huge amount in this poor Islamic nation, where nearly one-third of the nation's 140 million people earn less than 750 rupees (US$15) a month.
Bureau Report