Pakistan has stopped operation to send back illegal foreign nationals residing in Pakistan to their countries, reported 24NewsHD TV channel on Wednesday.
According to sources, the operation has been temporarily stopped.
The operation against foreigners residing illegally in Pakistan has been temporarily stopped at the request of the United Nations, sources said.
The request by the United Nations was made during the recent visit of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to Pakistan, sources further said.
Sources said that United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi recently visited Pakistan for three days.
During the visit, Filippo Grandi met Afghan refugees in Peshawar and Haripur, sources said.
Filippo Grandi met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Minister Amir Muqam, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Interior officials, sources said.
In the meetings, Filippo Grandi was assured to stop all operations against foreigners residing illegally in Pakistan on a temporary basis, sources said.
Sources further said that Filippo Grandi assured the negotiations between the Afghan Transitional Government, international aid organizations and aid partners by the end of this year.
In these talks, every action and package regarding the financial assistance of the Afghan refugees inside and outside Afghanistan will be discussed, sources said.
As part of the operation, 600,000 foreigners residing illegally in Pakistan have been sent back to Afghanistan by July 3, sources further said.
Sources said a large number of foreigners living in Pakistan illegally were Afghans.
A large number of these Afghan nationals entered Pakistan after the Afghan Taliban came to power in Kabul.
These residents left their homeland fearing reprisals, human rights violations and atrocities on minorities by the Afghan interim government.
Among these Afghans, a number of people who wanted to take refuge in Europe, America and other countries were also included.
Apart from the Afghan residents, the operation was also underway against the citizens of other countries illegally residing in Pakistan under this operation.
The World Health Organization has recently issued a warning of an increase in polio cases in the border areas in the event of the return of these illegally residing Afghans in Pakistan.