The government has issued directives to all local authorities and law enforcement agencies not to detain Afghans who are in the process of being relocated to the United States amid ongoing efforts to curb illegal migration.
In recent months, over 180,000 individuals have returned to Afghanistan following Islamabad’s command that approximately 1.7 million Afghans, identified as illegal residents in Pakistan, either depart voluntarily or face expulsion, as reported by border officials.
Human Rights Watch has sounded alarms that Afghans, who have fled the Taliban regime and are awaiting resettlement in countries like the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Canada, might face deportation due to the expiration of their Pakistan visas.
Temporary Relief for Afghan Nationals
The complex process of resettling Afghan refugees by several Western nations is still underway two years after the Taliban’s ascension to power. This has left many Afghan families in a state of uncertainty, residing temporarily in Pakistan while they wait for months.
A recent communiqué from the Interior Ministry, dated November 2 and disclosed by AFP, clarified that the U.S. Embassy is sponsoring 1,150 Afghan nationals for relocation to the United States. The letter emphasizes the need to prevent the arrest of those listed until further instruction is given.
This development follows an appeal from the United States to Pakistan, urging the country to facilitate Afghans seeking asylum.
Statistics of Returned Afghan Families
Pakistan has experienced a significant influx of Afghans over the past decades due to ongoing conflicts, with an estimated 600,000 entering since the Taliban’s resurgence in August 2021. The Pakistani government justifies the deportations as a measure for national “welfare and security” in response to an increase in militant attacks, which it attributes to factions based in Afghanistan, a claim Kabul refutes.
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Interior Department has provided recent statistics on the migration of foreigners up to November 3. A comprehensive account details the return of 160,638 illegal foreign nationals to Afghanistan, including a breakdown of families, with thousands of men, women, and children repatriated. Additionally, foreign deportees from regions like Punjab and Peshawar are also included in these figures.
