ISLAMABAD: Caretaker Interior Minister Sarfraz Bugti has said the government is encouraging voluntary repatriation of foreign nationals till Wednesday after which the state will commence its operation to expel them.

In an interview, he said during the last three days over 20,000 illegal foreigners left Pakistan voluntarily. Sarfraz Bugti said all the provincial governments will be part of this operation and committees have been formed on divisional, district levels.

He said the expulsion of illegal foreign nationals will be carried out in phases and people with no travel documents will be deported in the first phase. He said Geo-mapping has been completed and the government will locate illegal foreign nationals wherever they are.

The Interior Minister said we have established holding centres and illegal foreigners will be kept at these centres. He said illegal foreign nationals will be provided all basic facilities at these centers.

In reply to a question, the Interior Minister said it is responsibility of caretaker government to assist the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in holding general elections. He said whatever the ECP’s directions are, we will abide by it.