Abdul Kabir urges ‘humane treatment’ of Afghan refugees in Pakistan, Iran

Noting that the mistreatment of Afghan refugees has increased in Pakistan and Iran recently, Acting Minister of Refugees and Repatriation Maulawi Abdul Kabir has called on the neighboring countries to respect international laws in this regard.

Maulawi Abdul Kabir, in separate meetings with diplomatic representatives of Pakistan and Iran in Kabul, called these countries friends of Afghanistan and urged “humane and Islamic treatment” of refugees.

He pointed out that the Islamic Emirate will encourage Afghan refugees to return to the country, but due to unfavorable conditions inside Afghanistan, the hosting countries should act based on an organized and gradual mechanism instead of forced deportation.

He stressed that it will be difficult for Afghan refugees to return by the end of June, because they cannot collect all their belongings in a short period of time.

He asked the host countries to give time to the refugees and hold bilateral and trilateral meetings in this regard.

Maulawi Abdul Kabir also said that the closure of Torkham crossing, war and violence is not the solution, rather dialogue should be chosen.

He emphasized that thousands of passengers, patients, dead bodies and goods have been stranded on both sides of Torkham crossing.

Meanwhile, Ubaid Ur Rahman Nizamani, the Charge d’affaires of Pakistan for Afghanistan, said that the future of Pakistan is linked to Afghanistan, that is why it does not use the Afghan refugees as a political tool, but wants to solve the problems through dialogue, according to a statement issued by the Afghan Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation.

Acting Ambassador of Iran Alireza Bekdeli also said that Tehran would help legal refugees, but there needs to be a permanent solution for the problem of illegal refugees.

He added that considering the good relations between Afghanistan and Iran, it is necessary that both countries jointly take necessary measures to solve the problems of Afghan refugees.

The Iranian diplomat praised the decree of the leader of the Islamic Emirate regarding the prevention of human trafficking and said that this move will strengthen cooperation between the two countries.