نگرانی مهاجران افغان از ادامه بازداشت‌ها در پاکستان

Following recent tensions between Kabul and Islamabad, a number of Afghan refugees residing in Pakistan have expressed concern over the continued arrests and increasing pressure on the refugee community.

According to them, the latest disputes between Afghanistan and Pakistan have further impacted the already difficult situation of the refugees.

Malak Khan Shinwari, an Afghan refugee in Pakistan, said: “The arrest of Afghan refugees without legal documentation is still ongoing in Pakistan. The recent tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan have had a profoundly negative impact on the situation of the refugees.”

Atiqullah Mansoor, another Afghan refugee in Pakistan, also stated: “Afghan refugees are facing numerous concerns and difficulties.”

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan emphasized that politicizing and forcibly deporting refugees contradicts all international principles and norms.

According to the spokesperson, over 18,700 families have returned to Afghanistan either forcibly or voluntarily from Iran, Pakistan, and Turkey in the first 17 days of the current month alone.

Abdulmutalib Haqqani, spokesperson for the Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation, said: “Linking the refugee issue to the current situation is a complete mistake. The forced deportation of refugees had already begun earlier. Our position is that deportation is a humanitarian issue, and politicizing it or carrying it out by force is against all international norms.”

Ali Reza Karimi, a migrant rights activist, said: “The return process began in October 2023 due to security concerns in Pakistan, although security officials also speak of a gradual and humane process.”

Previously, on the 17th of Mizan in the current solar year, the UNHCR had reported that over 170,000 refugees had returned from Pakistan to Afghanistan.