Iran, Pakistan Tighten Refugee Policies Amid Mass Deportations
Iran’s Minister of Interior, Eskandar Momeni, has announced that over one million Afghan refugees have been deported from the country since the beginning of this solar year.
He added that Iran has restricted visa issuance for Afghan citizens and continues efforts to close borders to prevent the entry of undocumented migrants into the country.
According to the Iranian official, Iran no longer has the capacity to host Afghan refugees.
The Minister of Interior of Iran stated: “We are implementing stricter measures. As I mentioned, around 1.1 million people have been transferred just this year. We have also reduced the number of visas. Unfortunately, the number of visas issued was quite high.”
Meanwhile, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Pakistan has expressed concern about the situation of Afghan refugees in the country and has requested clarification on the recent decision of the Pakistani government regarding Afghan migrants.
Previously, the Prime Minister of Pakistan had stated that holders of the “Afghan Citizen Card” (ACC) must immediately leave Islamabad and Rawalpindi and return to Afghanistan along with undocumented refugees.
A statement from UNHCR Pakistan read: “Non-compliance with the directive and the set deadlines could lead to arrest and deportation to Afghanistan. This is deeply regrettable news for the long-standing Afghan community here. UNHCR and IOM will seek further clarity on the implementation of the plans outlined above while continuing to engage in advocacy, given this concerning turn of events.”
“Afghan refugees in Pakistan face many challenges. The governments of Pakistan and Afghanistan must work together to address these issues,” said Rauf, an Afghan refugee in Pakistan.
“Our request to the governments of Afghanistan and Iran is to engage in dialogue and address the problems of these people. We face these challenges daily,” said Mohammad Seerat, another Afghan refugee in Pakistan.
Pakistan and Iran, both neighboring Afghanistan, host the largest number of Afghan refugees.
