Asylum-seekers return to Pakistan

Asylum-seekers return to Pakistan

JAKARTA: A group of Pakistanis flew home from Indonesia on
Tuesday after abandoning hope of starting a new life in
Australia.

The 19 adults and two children left Jakarta for Karachi aboard
an international air carrier, the International Organization for
Migration (IOM) said in a statement.

The Pakistanis were escorted by an IOM official, the statement
said, adding that they were the largest group of Pakistanis being
sent home from Indonesia this year.

A total of 244 Afghans and 47 Pakistanis have voluntarily left
Indonesia since the beginning of the IOM-sponsored repatriation
in May.

Afghanis and Pakistanis were among thousands of asylum-seekers
from the Middle East and parts of South Asia who became stuck in
Indonesia as a result of aborted sea voyages to Australia
arranged by people-smugglers.

Australia has launched a tough campaign to prevent refugee-
laden boats from reaching its shores.

The unguarded shores and largely unpatrolled waters of the
Indonesian archipelago have made it a popular stepping-stone for
asylum-seekers trying to reach Australia by boat. --AFP