Taliban Opponents Meet Peace Foundation Delegation To Discuss Afghan Peace Issue

According to a document obtained by Afghanistan International, a meeting chaired by Sharif on Wednesday, 31 January, finalised the decision to expel Afghan refugees from the country.

As per the document, Pakistan's Ministry of Interior is responsible for the initial phase, during which Afghan citizens without official residence documents, along with holders of the Afghan Citizen Card (ACC), will be deported from Islamabad and Rawalpindi to Afghanistan. The exact number of undocumented migrants and ACC cardholders remains unknown.

The ACC is issued to Afghans recognised as legal migrants in Pakistan, serving as proof of their lawful status in the country.

Second Phase and PoR Cardholders' Status

The document outlines that in the second phase, the status of holders of the Proof of Registration (PoR) card will be reviewed. The Pakistani federal cabinet has granted PoR cardholders permission to stay in Pakistan until 30 June 2025. However, despite this allowance, they too will be expelled from Islamabad and Rawalpindi.

Around seven months ago, Sharif’s office reported that approximately 1.45 million Afghans with PoR cards were residing in Pakistan.

The PoR card is granted to Afghans who participated in Pakistan’s refugee registration programme and have official refugee status. PoR cardholders are recognised as registered refugees and, in some cases, have access to specific services and facilities in Pakistan.

Fate of Afghans Awaiting Resettlement in Western Countries

Afghan citizens awaiting resettlement in third countries will be deported from Islamabad and Rawalpindi by 31 March 2025.

Following the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan, thousands fled to neighbouring countries, seeking resettlement in a third country. Many remain in limbo as they await the completion of this process.

Shehbaz Sharif has directed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to liaise with Western consulates in Islamabad to facilitate the transfer of these migrants. If no arrangements are made, they will also be deported to Afghanistan.

During the meeting, it was decided that Pakistani authorities must ensure that deported refugees and migrants do not return to Pakistan.

Additionally, the document states that Pakistani intelligence agencies must closely monitor the implementation of the deportation plan and regularly report to the Prime Minister’s office.

Response from the UN Refugee Agency

Meanwhile, the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has acknowledged the Pakistani government’s directive requiring all Afghans holding ACC cards to leave Islamabad and Rawalpindi and return to Afghanistan immediately.

The agency has also confirmed its awareness of the planned deportation of PoR cardholders.

Expressing concern over these developments, the UNHCR has warned that non-compliance with these directives could result in the arrest and deportation of refugees to Afghanistan.

The UNHCR stated that it is seeking further clarification on Pakistan’s deportation programme and reaffirmed its commitment to ongoing discussions to support Afghan refugees and migrants.

Last year, the Pakistani government deported approximately half a million Afghan citizens.

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.