Image of the Torkham border crossing between Pakistan and Afghanistan
By Global News Service
Pakistan’s Interior Minister Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi declared on August 28 that his government is going ahead with a fresh round of expulsions of “undocumented Afghan refugees” from the country, despite the concerns of numerous human rights advocates and organizations.
Naqvi made the announcement in a meeting with the UN humanitarian coordinator for Afghanistan Indrika Ratwatte, who was visiting Pakistan. According to the statement issued by the ministry after the meeting, Naqvi affirmed that no one will be allowed to stay in Pakistan without a visa or other legal documents.
The first round of mass deportations of some of the 1.7 million “undocumented” Afghani refugees from Pakistan in November 2023 was met with widespread criticism. The government of Pakistan has claimed it has been preparing for the second round of expulsions in 2024.
The current Pakistani government has launched numerous attacks on refugees, accusing them of participating in terror activities, smuggling, and other crimes in the country. It also has labeled them a burden on the country’s ailing economy.
During last year’s expulsion drive, several accusations were lodged against the Pakistani authorities of abuse, extortion, and harassment of refugees. Rights groups, including the UN, have pointed out that the expulsion of refugees is illegal under international law and a violation of humanitarian law.
There are close to 3 million Afghans living as refugees in Pakistan. Some have been there for decades and went to the neighboring country to escape war, chaos, and human rights violations in their country.
The Pakistani government has labeled all refugees who do not have documents such as proof of registration or Afghan citizenship cards as “undocumented aliens,” to be expelled.
Around 44,000 Afghans approved for relocation to Western countries since 2021 have been living in Pakistan. Most worked with U.S.-led international forces during the two-decades-long occupation of the country. They were promised repatriation by Western powers during the chaotic withdrawal after two decades of occupation.
from the Peoples Dispatch / Globetrotter News Service
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