44,000 Afghans in Pakistan ready for relocation to Western nations: Pakistan authorities
Police officers, together with staff from the National Database and Registration Authority, examine the identification playing cards of Afghan residents throughout a door-to-door search and verification drive for undocumented Afghan nationals, in an Afghan Camp on the outskirts of Karachi, Pakistan. File
| Photo Credit: Reuters
Pakistan mentioned on July 11 that it was internet hosting not less than 44,000 Afghan nationals authorized and accepted for relocation by the Western nations to their nations attributable to concern of reprisal in opposition to them by the Taliban.
In 2021, Pakistan noticed an exodus of Afghans who left their nation after the NATO-backed Afghan authorities crumbled and the Taliban entered Kabul.
Addressing the weekly press briefing in Islamabad, Foreign Office spokeswoman Mumtaz Zahra Baloch mentioned that not less than 44,000 Afghans authorized for relocation to Western nations are nonetheless in Pakistan.
She mentioned that 25,000 Afghans have been authorized for relocation to the U.S., 9,000 Afghan nationals accepted for relocation by Australia, 6,000 by Canada, 3,000 by Germany, and over 1,000 by the U.Ok., however have been nonetheless dwelling in Pakistan.
Ms. Baloch mentioned they have been all but to be relocated regardless of the lapse of just about three years for the reason that NATO-backed Afghan authorities crumbled and the Taliban entered Kabul, triggering a painful exodus by Afghans who felt threatened by the brand new regime.
“We have urged them to expedite the approval and visa issuance process for these countries, for these individuals, so that they are relocated as early as possible,” Ms. Baloch mentioned.
Initially, Pakistan allowed the fleeing Afghans to enter with none hindrance. However, relations with the interim Kabul authorities progressively deteriorated over the difficulty of Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants utilizing Afghan soil to assault Pakistan.
Last yr, Pakistan launched a crackdown on unlawful aliens, principally Afghans, and to date, over half one million are reported to have gone again to Afghanistan.
Last yr in October, the caretaker authorities introduced the choice to expel all unlawful foreigners, which hit the Afghans dwelling in Pakistan particularly exhausting.
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The deportation of unlawful Afghan refugees has been happening for the reason that authorities’s ultimatum for them to go away Pakistan by November 1, final yr.
Pakistan refused to loosen up the drive in opposition to unlawful Afghans regardless of requests by Kabul, however a gathering between UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday raised hopes that Islamabad could rethink the drive.
An announcement attributed to Grandi additionally confirmed that Pakistan would cease expelling Afghans, however Baloch mentioned that Pakistan was dedicated to implementing the Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan.
She mentioned the primary section of this plan is close to completion and alluded to the unlawful foreigners, together with Afghans repatriated to their house nations.
The spokesperson clarified that Pakistan had not given any understanding to the UNHCR for the plan’s suspension.
However, she identified that the federal government has authorized a one-year extension of the validity of the Proof of Registration playing cards of Afghan refugees.
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Ms. Baloch additionally rejected any talks with the TTP by saying that the terrorist entity was concerned within the killing of Pakistani and overseas residents inside Pakistan.
She additionally mentioned Pakistan respects Afghanistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
“We expect the Afghan authorities to uphold their sovereignty and take action against terrorist groups which have found sanctuaries inside Afghanistan and use their territory for terrorist attacks against Pakistan,” she mentioned.