Over 880 Afghan Migrants Released from Pakistani Prisons in One Month

The Ministry of Refugees and Repatriations announced the release of more than 880 Afghan citizens from Pakistani prisons over the past month.

The ministry’s spokesperson stated that following an increase in the arrests of Afghan migrants in Pakistan, these individuals were detained from various parts of the country due to a lack of legal documents. Some of them have been repatriated to Afghanistan after their release.

Abdul Mutalib Haqqani, spokesperson for the Ministry of Refugees and Repatriations, said: “Through the efforts of the ministry and cooperation with several institutions in Pakistan, 882 Afghan migrants have been freed and reunited with their families, with some of them already returned to Afghanistan.”

Most Afghan migrants reside in Pakistan and Iran, and in recent months, mistreatment and deportation of Afghan refugees from these two countries have increased. Despite repeated calls for resolving Afghan refugee issues in neighboring countries, these challenges persist.

Meanwhile, Mohammad Sadeq Mo’tamadian, the governor of Tehran, has also warned that undocumented Afghan migrants in Iran will be arrested and deported.

Regarding this, Mo’tamadian said: “Legal measures regarding these individuals will be pursued in Tehran province in accordance with the law by law enforcement agencies. Based on standard legal procedures, these individuals will be returned to Afghanistan through shared borders.”

Ehsan Ahmadzai, an activist for refugee rights, stated: “There should be joint efforts between Afghanistan, Pakistan, and relevant UN refugee agencies to find a solution to these challenges.”

Previously, the consulate of the Islamic Emirate in Karachi, Pakistan, reported that over the past two years, more than 4,200 Afghan prisoners have been released from prisons in Pakistan’s Sindh province.