Afghan Migrants Urge Pakistan PM to Halt Deportations
Afghan migrants in Pakistan who are awaiting resettlement to the United States have called for a halt to the forced deportation of refugees from the country.
In an open letter addressed to Pakistan’s Prime Minister, they expressed concerns over visa renewal procedures and the challenges they face, especially with the looming March 31 deadline for deportation.
Only six days remain before Pakistan begins its planned forced deportations of Afghan migrants.
Pakistan media outlet Dawn quoted the letter as saying that many Afghans residing in Pakistan are in the “late stages of exhaustive vetting processes and are awaiting US visa or refugee status approval” and sending them back to Afghanistan “runs counter to humanitarian principles and international accords to which Pakistan is a signatory.” The letter said: “At a minimum, we hope to see an exemption from detention or deportation for Afghans who have pending or approved immigration applications to the United States.”
Alongside these appeals, many Afghan migrants holding Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) documentation have again voiced their concern, stating they cannot leave Pakistan within such a short timeframe.
Zahir Bahand, an Afghan journalist in Pakistan, reported: “Afghan asylum seekers are subjected to daily harassment, imprisonment, and torture by Pakistani police. Even individuals with valid visas are being detained.”
Malak Awal Khan Shinwari, another Afghan migrant in Pakistan, said: “Our request to the Islamic Emirate is that, just as a representative recently traveled from Pakistan to Kabul to meet you, you should also send a delegation or senior official to Pakistan to engage with their government on refugee matters.”
Earlier, the Pakistani government ordered undocumented Afghan migrants and ACC cardholders to leave the country by March 31, warning that deportations would follow if they failed to comply.
