KARACHI: The Caretaker Sindh Chief Minister, Justice (Retd.) Maqbool Baqar, chaired a cabinet meeting, where it was decided to allocate Rs 4.5 billion for the repatriation of illegal immigrants. The meeting also approved the retirement of Rs 25 billion liabilities under the wheat subsidies and the establishment of a minimum wage of Rs 32,000.
The meeting was attended by provincial ministers, Chief Secretary Dr Fakhre Alam, PSCM Agha Wasif, Chairman P&D Shakil Mangejo, Secretary Finance Kazim Jatoi, and other concerned officials.
At the beginning of the meeting, the cabinet vehemently condemned the inhuman attacks carried out by Israel on Gaza, resulting in the loss of innocent lives. The cabinet called for an immediate ceasefire, as these attacks by the Israeli occupying forces were in violation of international humanitarian laws, constituting a grave crime against humanity.
The Home Secretary informed the cabinet that the federal government had decided to repatriate all illegal foreigners from November 1, 2023. The Ministry of Interior had shared the Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan (IFRP) with all the provinces, outlining the necessary actions to be taken.
It was noted that while approving the IFRP, the federal cabinet had decided that the provinces would bear the cost of logistics. However, the cabinet discussed this issue and approved funding of Rs 4.5 billion for the repatriation of illegal foreigners from various divisions in Sindh, including Karachi, Hyderabad, Sukkur, Shaheed Benazirabad, Mirpurkhas, and Larkana, outside the budget allocations.