Taliban Minister Haqqani Travels To Saudi Arabia for Umrah, Extending Two-Week Absence

Feb 4, 2025, 15:09 GMT

The United Nations has confirmed that Sirajuddin Haqqani, the Taliban's Interior Minister, has travelled to Saudi Arabia to perform the Umrah pilgrimage.

The UN Security Council’s sanctions committee stated that Haqqani’s travel ban was temporarily lifted for ten days, allowing him to visit Saudi Arabia until 3 February.

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Pakistan to Relocate All Afghan Migrants From Islamabad & Rawalpindi

Feb 4, 2025, 14:17 GMT

According to informed sources cited by Dawn newspaper, the Pakistani government is planning to expel registered Afghan migrants from Islamabad and Rawalpindi and gradually return them to Afghanistan.

Authorities have been instructed to implement this plan discreetly.

A report published on Tuesday revealed that the plan was finalised last week during a series of meetings chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. A source within the Prime Minister’s office disclosed that General Asim Munir, Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff, attended one of these meetings.

Phased Relocation of Afghan Migrants

In the first phase, Afghan citizens holding an Afghanistan Citizenship Card (ACC) will be immediately expelled from Islamabad and Rawalpindi alongside undocumented migrants. The ACC, issued by Pakistan’s National Database & Registration Authority, grants temporary legal status to Afghans, but its validity is determined by the federal government.

The second phase will focus on Afghans holding Proof of Registration (PoR) cards, which legally allow them to reside anywhere in Pakistan. These individuals will be relocated from Islamabad and Rawalpindi, but they will not be immediately expelled. Sources indicate that PoR cardholders have been granted permission to stay in Pakistan until June.

There are an estimated 1.3 million Afghans in Pakistan with PoR cards and 700,000 with ACC cards.

Expulsion of Afghans Awaiting Resettlement

Meanwhile, Afghan refugees awaiting resettlement in third countries will be expelled from Islamabad and Rawalpindi by 31 March. Sources confirmed that Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs is coordinating with embassies and international organisations to expedite their resettlement process. Afghans who cannot secure placement in a third country will also be sent back to Afghanistan.

Between 10,000 and 15,000 Afghan nationals in Pakistan are currently awaiting resettlement in the United States, according to Dawn. While the exact number of Afghans residing in Islamabad and Rawalpindi remains unclear, relocating them from these cities presents significant logistical challenges, particularly for those who regularly engage with foreign embassies and international aid organisations.

Implementation and Growing Criticism

The Ministry of Interior will oversee the relocation and deportation process, while intelligence agencies will ensure its implementation.

In 2023, Pakistan launched a nationwide campaign to expel millions of Afghans it claims are living illegally within its borders. According to the International Organization for Migration, more than 800,000 Afghan migrants have returned to Afghanistan since 15 September 2023.

Pakistan’s decision to forcibly expel Afghan refugees has drawn widespread criticism both domestically and internationally.

Crackdown On Afghan Migrants: 300,000 Detained & Deported From Tehran

Feb 4, 2025, 11:30 GMT

Mohammad Sadegh Motamedian, the governor of Tehran, has announced that since the beginning of the current solar year [Iranian calendar], 200,000 undocumented refugees have been expelled from the province.

He added that another 100,000 have been arrested and subjected to the legal deportation process.

He further warned that employers hiring undocumented refugees would face significant fines.

The Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) reported on Tuesday, quoting the Iranian official: "Simply arresting and expelling foreign nationals is not sufficient. Penalties have been imposed on those who facilitate housing and employment for unauthorised foreigners."

The governor of Tehran also revealed that this year, 300 businesses, including restaurants and other enterprises, have been shut down for hiring undocumented refugees.

Motamedian cautioned that these measures would intensify and emphasised, "We believe that public cooperation is crucial in addressing the issue of foreign nationals."

Meanwhile, Morteza Ali Pouri, the deputy governor of Alborz for political, social, and security affairs, also announced that in the current solar year, 60,000 undocumented refugees have been repatriated from the province.

He stated, "Any lease or rental agreement for residential, commercial, or industrial buildings by individuals or real estate agents with unauthorised foreign nationals is strictly prohibited."

Previously, Eskandar Momeni, Iran’s Minister of Interior, had announced that since the beginning of the current solar year, approximately 1.1 million Afghan migrants have been deported from Iran.

He also mentioned that at least six million foreign nationals reside in Iran, with at least two million lacking proper documentation.

In addition to accelerating the deportation of Afghan migrants, Iran has prohibited their presence in certain cities and criminalised the employment of undocumented migrants.

Tajikistan Seizes 121 Kilograms Of Smuggled Methamphetamine Destined For China

Feb 4, 2025, 10:44 GMT

The Drug Control Agency of Tajikistan announced on Monday that it had seized 121 kilograms of methamphetamine from the cargo of two trucks transporting transit goods from Afghanistan to China.

In a report released the same day, the agency’s head, Zafar Samad, stated that the shipment was intercepted last month.

According to the report, part of the smuggled drugs was discovered in a truck carrying a powdered mixture of precious stones on the Dushanbe-Kulma highway, near the Chinese border. The vehicle was transporting the gemstone powder from Afghanistan to China.

Another portion of the illicit shipment was seized in the Murghab district of Tajikistan's autonomous Badakhshan province.

Samad noted that synthetic drug production in Afghanistan has surged, leading to a 59% increase in the seizure of Afghan-origin synthetic drugs in Tajikistan in 2024.

National Resistance Front Commander Urges Anti-Taliban Unity

Feb 4, 2025, 10:01 GMT

Hamed Saifi, a commander of the National Resistance Front, has called on anti-Taliban political leaders to put aside “self-interest and divisions” and to “unite.” In a statement on X on Tuesday, Saifi referred to reports of internal conflicts among Taliban leaders.

He wrote that focusing on disputes within the Taliban, such as which faction is involved in infighting or who has been “arrested, killed, or injured” among them, is a “futile thought.”

According to Saifi, despite internal tensions within the Taliban and the possible sidelining of some officials, ultimately, one faction of the Taliban will continue to rule Afghanistan. He warned that this would bring no positive change for the people and could even worsen their situation.

The resistance commander, while asserting that the Taliban’s defeat is inevitable due to the current circumstances, emphasised that this outcome depends on the unity of the Taliban’s political opponents and their willingness to set aside self-interest.

Saifi warned that if the Taliban’s opponents do not put aside their divisions and “self-interest,” then “post-Taliban Afghanistan will fall into the hands of foreign forces and their mercenaries.”
He wrote: “The guerrillas and fighters have kept the door of hope open for the people at the cost of their lives. Now, it is the turn of the country’s politicians to be ready to sacrifice and show selflessness for this cause.”

The National Resistance Front of Afghanistan began its resistance against the Taliban in Panjshir following the group’s takeover and, for more than three years, has been targeting Taliban forces across various provinces.

However, Taliban government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid dismissed the claims made by resistance groups about targeting Taliban forces as “media propaganda.” He compared their attacks to mere “firecrackers.”

In addition to the National Resistance Front, the Afghanistan Freedom Front has also been reporting multiple attacks against Taliban forces since February 2022.

Following the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021, many of the group’s opponents, most of whom were officials of the previous government, have formed various political organisations in exile to continue their struggle against the Taliban.

Shooting At UN Office: Taliban Member Allegedly Opens Fire On Foreign UNAMA Employee

Feb 3, 2025, 16:36 GMT

Following reports of a shooting at the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) office in Kabul, reliable sources informed Afghanistan International that the incident occurred on Monday when a Taliban member shot and injured a foreign UNAMA employee.

According to sources, after the incident, the body of the Taliban member was discovered outside the UNAMA office. It is believed that he was killed in retaliatory fire by other Taliban personnel.

Abdul Mateen Qani, the Taliban’s Interior Ministry spokesperson, confirmed the incident, stating that a Taliban member had been killed and a UN employee had sustained minor injuries in the shooting within the UN compound.

Three reliable sources reported that the injured employee was a Nepali national employed as a security contractor for the UNAMA office.

Earlier, UNAMA released a statement confirming that "Taliban guards" were involved in the incident and that an investigation was underway. The statement also verified that one person had been killed and another injured but did not disclose their identities.

Following the shooting, UNAMA staff at the Pul-e-Charkhi office in Kabul were denied entry to their workplace on Monday morning. Officials instructed them to work from home due to security concerns.

A UNAMA employee told Afghanistan International that by Monday noon, they had received messages indicating that the issue had been resolved and that normal operations would resume soon.