Key Takeaways
- Pakistani gangs reportedly involved in contract killings in South Africa.
- Four Pakistanis killed over personal dispute, linked to criminal activity.
- Committee highlights issues with law enforcement and illegal migration.
The Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs has been informed that organized Pakistani gangs are active in South Africa, with some members allegedly involved in contract killings related to personal and business disputes.
The committee, chaired by Senator Agha Shahzaib Durrani, received a briefing from the Pakistan High Commission in South Africa regarding the situation of Pakistani nationals in the country.
Officials stated that four Pakistanis recently killed in South Africa were targeted over a personal dispute, and a contract-killing plot was also mentioned in connection with the incident.
The High Commission reported that some Pakistanis were using criminal gangs against other members of the community, particularly in disputes involving businesses and personal rivalries.
Officials also claimed that some murder contracts were issued from Pakistan, highlighting the involvement of criminal elements within the Pakistani community.
A large number of Pakistanis from Malakwal and Mandi Bahauddin were reported to be living in South Africa, with many people linked to criminal activity having acquired South African citizenship.
The committee was informed that tighter immigration controls were creating problems for people traveling through legal channels, while organized networks continued to facilitate illegal migration.
The High Commission stressed that most Pakistanis in South Africa were involved in legitimate businesses, but noted that the activities of criminal elements were damaging the reputation of the wider community.
Officials also mentioned that nationals of Ethiopia, Somalia, and Bangladesh were sometimes mistakenly identified as Pakistanis.
The briefing raised concerns about law enforcement in South Africa, with officials stating that police investigations did not always follow familiar procedures and corruption within the police was extremely high.
South African authorities sometimes blamed Pakistani nationals for serious crimes, prompting the committee chairman to question why Pakistanis were being accused of introducing new forms of crime into the country.
Senator Dinesh Kumar questioned the performance of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and sought data on Pakistanis involved in criminal activity in South Africa.
Chairman Durrani called for greater scrutiny of the FIA and questioned why illegal migration was continuing despite visits and inspections by the interior minister.
The committee was also briefed on recent anti-immigrant protests in South Africa, with officials clarifying that the protests were not specifically directed against Pakistanis and that no deaths had been reported during the unrest.
