Pakistan To Expel All Afghan Refugees, Confirms Taliban Embassy
The Taliban embassy in Islamabad announced on Wednesday that the Pakistani government has decided to expel all Afghan refugees from the country.
The Taliban embassy in Islamabad announced on Wednesday that the Pakistani government has decided to expel all Afghan refugees from the country.
In a statement, the embassy said that Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed the imminent deportation of all Afghan migrants, including those holding Afghan Citizen Cards (ACC) and Proof of Registration (PoR) cards.
“Officials from Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs have confirmed that there is a definitive and final plan to deport all Afghan refugees not only from Islamabad and Rawalpindi but also from the entire country in the near future,” the statement read.
According to the Taliban embassy, only Afghans with valid visas will be allowed to remain in Islamabad and Rawalpindi. The embassy expressed concerns over Pakistan’s unilateral decision and stated that it has raised the issue with Pakistani authorities and international organisations. It further noted that the Taliban administration in Afghanistan has been informed to coordinate the return of refugees.
The statement also alleged that Afghan nationals in Islamabad and Rawalpindi have recently been subjected to arrests, searches, and forced evictions by Pakistani police. The embassy claimed that the Pakistani government did not notify them in advance and that the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) was also unaware of the situation.
According to a document obtained by Afghanistan International, the Pakistani government, under Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, approved a mass deportation plan for Afghan refugees during a meeting on 29 January.
