As the deadline set by the Pakistani government for illegal Afghan migrants to leave the country expires, Afghanistan’s Taliban government has urged Islamabad to give undocumented Afghans more time to leave.
Pakistan had announced that undocumented immigrants should leave by 31 October or face imprisonment and deportation to their respective countries.
Overview
As pressure at border posts increases with thousands fleeing Pakistan owing to the deportation threats, Kabul is seeking more time.
اعلامیه امارت اسلامی در رابطه به مهاجرین افغان در پاکستان و سایر کشورهاhttps://t.co/QlzdCVl1AJ pic.twitter.com/AgSlcPRzJQ
— Zabihullah (..ذبـــــیح الله م ) (@Zabehulah_M33) October 31, 2023
Taliban authorities thanked the governments of Pakistan and other countries, which have hosted millions of Afghans who left the country during decades of conflict.
In a statement given on Tuesday, Taliban authorities asked the countries “to not forcibly deport Afghans with little notice but to give them time to prepare.”
They urged the countries to exercise tolerance out of “good neighbourliness, Islamic brotherhood and human affection.”
Over 1.7 million Afghans living in the country are undocumented. According to the Interior Ministry, over 140,000 “undocumented foreigners” have left the country in the past month. Out of these, 104,000 Afghans left through the main Torkham border crossing.
The movement of people in such large numbers has created bottlenecks on either side of the crossings between Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Arrests Begin, Refugees to be Tracked
Pakistan has started mass arresting and deporting Afghan refugees who missed the Wednesday deadline.
Interim Interior Minister Sarfraz Bugti said, “There will be no compromise against illegal refugees. We have the data on who are staying illegally in Pakistan.”
“We are going door to door, and we have done geofencing. We will detain and deport them.”
The minister also accused the West of not doing enough to help relocate the Afghans.
He mentioned that Afghans would be put in buses, trucks, and other means of transport to be taken to the border, adding that the authorities would track the migrants to ensure that they did not return.
Refugee Holding Camps
Afghan Interim Deputy PM Mawlavi Abdul Salam Hanafi visited the Torkham border to assess the situation and said forced deportation was against international norms.
He directed the establishment of two temporary camps near Torkham town and in the Degha area of Lalpoor district. According to the Afghan Information Ministry, these camps will provide tents, water, food, shelter, and basic health needs.
Pakistan has also established refugee holding camps/deportation centres for thousands waiting to cross the border.
Additionally, Islamabad has demolished over 800 houses of illegal immigrants thus far.
International Bodies Express Concerns
A group of former US diplomats and representatives of resettlement organisations have urged Pakistan to halt the deportation process for refugees awaiting US visas.
Several rights groups have warned of a “humanitarian crisis” as detentions, beatings, and extortion take place, leaving thousands of Afghans in fear over their future.
🇵🇰 With hours before Pakistan begins forced deportations of Afghan refugees across the country, @amnesty reiterates its call to caretaker Prime Minister @anwaar_kakar to take back his government's decision.
— Amnesty International South Asia, Regional Office (@amnestysasia) October 31, 2023
Read more: https://t.co/nEMfkMCRHU#AfghanRefugees 1/3
The UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) expressed apprehensions about the deportations, especially of women, journalists, and minorities.
Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra said the government was taking due precautions in this regard.
Calling on the international community to financially support Pakistan in hosting the Afghan refugees, Amnesty International reiterated its call to the Pakistani government to reverse its decision.
Despite concerns, Pakistan has said that the government has no plans to extend the deadline and all foreigners would be deported irrespective of their nationality.
Additionally, Bugti assured that the arrested migrants would not be mistreated and would be given food and medical care until their deportation.