Imran Khan Mulls to Give Citizenship to Refugees’ Kids Born in Pakistan

Islamabad: Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday sought the National Assembly’s advice for granting citizenship to Pakistan-born children of Afghan and Bangladeshi migrants. Addressing a session of the country’s lower house, the prime minister said that he wants to take this decision on humanitarian grounds as refugees after living in the country for so many years they should be issued identity cards.

Khan said that granting citizenship to Pakistan-born refugees will also bring down the crime rate as the refugees, who mostly work as labourers as they are not allowed to apply for jobs in government sector, currently get much lower wages than local labourers and get inclined to criminal activities. Supporting his argument, the prime minister said that the country’s Citizenship Act, 1951, states that every person born in Pakistan has the right to get its nationality. Citing example of Bangladeshi refugees, Khan said that even their grandchildren were born in Pakistan, but they have not been granted citizenship yet. (IANS)