Activities of illegal migrants have seriously damaged the reputation of Pakistanis in South Africa, a report by Geneva Daily has stated. However, more than illegal human trafficking operators, it is the corruption and conduct of Pakistani officials employed in its various missions abroad, which is tarnishing the country’s image. Notably, all this has led to increased rejection of visas for Pakistani citizens.
According to the newspaper, corrupt officials of the Pakistani missions in South Africa and neighbouring countries are being aided by a syndicate of unscrupulous elements. Most of the aforementioned syndicates were found to have the involvement of Pakistani officials in the aforementioned syndicates, which was in turn, making the task of enforcement agencies more difficult. In 2020, the South African govt identified a network of illegal immigration which was found to be facilitated by a Pakistani diplomat posted in the neighbouring country, Zimbabwe.
Problem of illegal immigration
Notably, the increasing rate of illegal immigration was found to be another problem. The report stated that Pakistani citizens using legal channels were now bearing the brunt of measures taken by the host government to contain the illegitimate flow. Previously, the South African government was apparently aware of the illegal channels being used by the syndicates in Eswatini and Mozambique and had responded in the form of close scrutiny of the visa applications of Pak citizens. Corrupt officials were also involved in other menaces including misusing their diplomatic powers.
Meanwhile, back home, the Shehbaz Sharif administration is struggling to tackle one of its worst economic crises. Amid the soaring inflation in Pakistan, the continuous depreciation of its currency and increasing foreign debt, the cabinet has approved an ordinance to bypass all the procedures for selling assets to foreign countries. According to the incumbent government, the latest move dubbed Intergovernmental Commercial Transactions Ordinance 2022 was introduced in order to prevent the country from defaulting.
According to a report by The Express Tribune, the ordinance, if passed, would nullify at least six relevant laws that barred the government from selling country assets to any foreign players. As per the ordinance, if got President’s nod, it would abolish the Companies Act, 2017, Privatisation Commission Ordinance, 2000, Public Procurement Regulatory Authority Ordinance, 2002, Public-Private Partnership Authority Act, 2017, Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan Act, 1997, and Securities Act, 2015.