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Pakistan forcibly repatriates 64 illegal Afghans

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Minister of the Interior: “We will deport all individuals who stayed without permission.”
International Human Rights Watch: “Abuse and threats for forcible repatriation”

The Pakistani government has begun detaining and forcibly repatriating Afghans living in the country illegally.

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According to the U.S. Associated Press on the 1st (local time), Pakistan’s Interim Interior Minister Sarfraz Bugti said in a post on “It is evidence of Pakistan’s resolve to repatriate all individuals residing in Pakistan without permission.”

According to authorities in Pakistan’s capital Islamabad, the move is part of a new anti-immigration crackdown targeting undocumented or undocumented foreigners and is expected to affect about 2 million Afghans in Pakistan.

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“We are very concerned about these forced repatriations,” said UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres through a spokesperson. “If we return Afghans, who are very likely refugees, we will face serious human rights issues,” he said.

On the 31st of last month, after the Pakistani government announced its forced repatriation policy, thousands of Afghans headed to the border to avoid arrest and forced repatriation.

According to the United Nations, there are currently more than 2 million undocumented Afghans in Pakistan, of whom at least 600,000 are believed to have fled since the Taliban took power in Afghanistan in 2021.

Human Rights Watch criticized in a statement, saying, “Pakistan is using threats, abuse, and detention to repatriate Afghan asylum seekers who do not have legal status.”

Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesman for the Taliban government in Afghanistan, said, “Millions of people have been forced to flee due to war and conflict over the past 45 years,” and added, “Please stop the forced repatriation of refugees and respect Islam and respect for neighboring countries.”

Meanwhile, a Taliban delegation reportedly moved from the capital Kabul to the eastern city of Nangarhar to find a solution to the repatriation of Afghans. Deputy Governor Ahmad Bhanwari said in an interview with local media, “Authorities are working to prepare temporary camps,” and added, “Returnees from Afghanistan can stay in temporary camps for a month until they find a place to live.”

Pakistani authorities have said that the forced repatriation of illegal immigrants will be carried out in stages and that those detained during the crackdown will be treated well. However, on the 31st, authorities forcibly demolished the homes of Afghans on the outskirts of the capital, Islamabad, and forcibly deported the people living there.

Source: Donga

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