Pakistani Prime Minister Orders New Wave Of Afghan Deportations

In its latest report, released on Friday, SIGAR noted that former U.S. President Donald Trump and Congress may place approximately $4 billion of Afghanistan’s allocated budget under the “custody and control” of the United States.

In 2022, the U.S. government transferred $3.5 billion of Afghanistan’s central bank assets into a Swiss escrow account. According to SIGAR, the balance of this account has since grown to around $4 billion.

Although no payments have been made from the fund to directly benefit the Afghan people, the account was established to safeguard and stabilise Afghanistan’s economy.

The Taliban has repeatedly demanded that the United States return the funds to Afghanistan’s central bank. However, SIGAR maintains that the group has no legal claim to these reserves, as the U.S. does not recognise it as the legitimate government.

Additionally, SIGAR highlighted that the Taliban remains designated as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) group by the U.S. and is subject to both U.S. and UN sanctions.

The SIGAR report follows the Trump administration’s recent decision to suspend foreign aid—except for assistance to Israel and Egypt—for 90 days. The U.S. State Department has stated that it is reviewing all foreign aid to ensure alignment with Trump’s foreign policy objectives.

Since its withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, the United States has spent nearly $3.71 billion in the country, with a significant portion directed to UN agencies. SIGAR also reported that approximately $1.2 billion remains under review and could be disbursed in the future.

While U.S. humanitarian assistance may have prevented famine following Afghanistan’s economic collapse, SIGAR states that it has failed to stop the Taliban from taking American citizens hostage, suppressing women’s and girls’ rights, censoring the media, turning Afghanistan into a “terrorist haven”, and targeting former Afghan government employees

Despite the Taliban’s severe restrictions and governance failures, the United States remains the largest foreign donor to Afghanistan. The report also alleges that the Taliban collects taxes on a significant portion of foreign aid and misuses another portion for its own benefit.

On Saturday, 1 February, Hengaw revealed that among those executed, 17 were Kurdish, 10 Lur, and 4 Baloch prisoners. The organisation further stated that only three of the 87 executions have been officially confirmed by the Iranian government.

Hengaw, which operates outside Iran, also disclosed that six of the executions were conducted in secret, without notifying the prisoners’ families or allowing them a final visit.

According to the report, the charges against those executed included: 35 prisoners convicted of drug-related offences. 50 prisoners found guilty of “premeditated murder” and two individuals accused of “rape”.

The United Nations Human Rights Office previously reported that at least 901 people were executed in Iran in 2024, including 31 women.

Speaking to Afghanistan International, Pashtoon clarified that while no such meeting had taken place, the council remained open to dialogue if Pakistan were to send a delegation focused on “peace and improving conditions in Afghanistan.”

Earlier, sources had informed Afghanistan International that a senior delegation from Pakistan’s intelligence agency was scheduled to meet former Afghan officials and jihadist figures in Istanbul. The reported meeting was expected to include prominent figures such as Abdul Rashid Dostum, Salahuddin Rabbani, Abdul Rab Rasul Sayyaf, Mohammad Mohaqiq, and Karim Khalili.

According to these sources, the discussions aimed to strengthen Pakistan’s engagement with opposition groups to the Taliban and explore the possibility of reopening their political offices in Islamabad.

However, Pashtoon dismissed these claims, asserting: “If Pakistan wants to meet with the Resistance Council, it is a form of engagement, and such meetings should not be considered wrong or sinful.”

Referring to the differing perspectives within Pakistan’s government and military, Pashtoon noted that while the Pakistani government opposes the Afghan Taliban, “Pakistani military personnel are present in Kabul and Kandahar, advising Taliban ministries.”

He also confirmed that the council’s leadership had recently met with a delegation of U.S. peace researchers in Ankara, Türkiye, though he refrained from disclosing details of the discussions.

Since the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan, Pakistan has repeatedly accused the group of harbouring Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants. However, the Taliban has consistently denied these allegations, maintaining that Afghan territory will not be used against any country.

In a video widely circulated on social media, Omari is seen breaking down during a speech on the closure of girls’ schools. He urged for their reopening, stating: “All I know is that even if [girls’ education] is not a religious obligation or tradition, it is at least permissible.” Shortly after making this remark, he became visibly emotional.

A local source in Khost province told Afghanistan International that Omari delivered the speech on Monday, 27 January, at a gathering in the Aisha Siddiqa girls’ school in the province.

During his address, Omari pleaded: “May God guide us. Religious studies are allowed, so modern sciences should also be permitted.” He warned that the Taliban’s extreme policies could result in future generations being “Muslim in name only.”

The video surfaced just days after Abbas Stanikzai, the Taliban’s Deputy Foreign Minister, was forced to flee Afghanistan following his public condemnation of the school closures.

According to sources, after Stanikzai spoke out against the suppression of the rights of 20 million Afghans, Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada ordered his arrest in Kandahar. However, before he could be detained, he managed to escape to the United Arab Emirates with the assistance of Taliban Defence Minister.

Burchett stated that Rahimi has "potential connections" with the Taliban’s intelligence agency and should be expelled to safeguard national security and uphold American values.

On Friday, Burchett wrote on the social media platform X: “The Biden administration willingly handed a visa to a man who enjoyed unrestricted access to top Taliban commanders.”

In October 2024, Burchett had previously addressed a letter to former U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, raising concerns about Rahimi’s associations with senior Taliban figures and the risks his presence might pose in the U.S.

The letter stated: “Rahimi has actively participated in efforts to sanitise the image of the brutal Taliban regime, consistently portraying their actions as a source of stability in Afghanistan while encouraging members of the Afghan diaspora in the West to return to Taliban-controlled areas.”

Burchett further warned that Rahimi’s presence in the U.S. could endanger former Afghan military personnel and their families currently residing in the country. He expressed deep concerns for their safety and well-being.

Additionally, the congressman urged the U.S. State Department to closely monitor Rahimi’s activities and associations, arguing that his connections could pose a significant threat to national security and undermine the fundamental values upheld by American citizens.

The letter also referenced Rahimi’s alleged ties to high-ranking Taliban officials, including Sirajuddin Haqqani, as well as his reported access to the Taliban’s training camps and the residences of former Afghan government officials.

In his latest statement on X, Burchett reiterated that Rahimi remains in the United States and must be identified and deported without delay.

Rahimi, who recently migrated to the U.S., had been active as a YouTuber in Afghanistan over the past three years. During this period, some critics accused him of collaborating with the Taliban, further fuelling controversy over his presence in the United States.