JEDDAH — Consul General of Pakistan Aftab Ahmed Khokher and Vice Consul Welfare Syed Tahseemul Haq Haqqi visited the deportation center at Shumaisy, Makkah recently. During the visit, the consul general was warmly welcome by the Saudi authorities after which, a meeting was held with with representative of Saudi MOFA Dr. Nugli, representative of Ministry of Interior for deportation Abu Ali Hamash, and officials from the Immigration Department Brig. Abdur Rehman Al Hereby, Col. Abdul Karim Al Zahra and Cpt. Muhammad Al-Shelve.
They exchanged views of mutual interest and deliberated upon the problems being faced by the Pakistani detainees.
The main focus was on early deportation of illegal Pakistanis apprehended from various cities and brought to the Deportation Center.
The Saudi authorities informed that there were 3,080 Pakistani detainees as of that day. The Consul General informed that out of these 3080, the consulate has already submitted 2,210 out passes to the concerned authorities in the Deportation Center, and emphasized that the Immigration Department should expedite the process for exit, enabling the detainees to travel back to Pakistan at the earliest.
The consul general also told the authorities that the consulate has already deputed a five-member team to the Deportation Center, which traces the detainees in various barracks on the basis of photographs provided to them by the travel section of the deportation center and get the prescribed forms filled in from the detainees for preparation of out passes.
He also informed that the consulate has provided additional staff as and when required, the delay in deportation of Pakistani detainees rest with the Saudi side. The officials agreed to further enhance cooperation and coordination between the consulate and concerned authorities of the Deportation Center. — SG
