ISLAMABAD: Afghans leaving Pakistan are sleeping in the open, without proper, shelter, food, drinking water and toilets once they cross the border to their homeland, Afghanistan.
Pakistan had set November 1 as a deadline for illegal Afghans to leave the country otherwise strict action would be taken against them. Nearly one million people came under the illegal foreigner’s repatriation plan.
Reportedly, Afghan citizens leaving Pakistan are facing difficulties on return to Afghanistan. Grim situation of Afghans inside Afghanistan contradicts Taliban authorities’ unnecessary criticism of mistreatment of Afghan nationals by Pakistan.
Earlier, a spokesman for the interim Afghan administration Suhail Shaheen said that at least 200,000 Afghan refugees have returned from Pakistan since November 1, however, he did not confirm the exact figure.
Lack of efficient processing procedures on Afghan side is creating a bottleneck of fleeing Afghans on Pakistani side.
Afghan refugess lack proper identification, citizenship documents
Afghan nationals returning from Pakistan lack proper identification and citizenship documents, making it difficult for them to prove their status and access essential services upon return.
Taliban interim government has insufficient infrastructure for receiving and accommodating returnees. There is a lack of housing, food and basic services in Afghanistan to support the repatriation.
Reportedly, Afghan officials have taken cash and mobile phones from the relatives of returning Afghan nationals while mistreatment with women has also been reported.
It is to be noted that no security arrangements have been made for returning Afghans leaving them vulnerable to existing threats like TTP, ISKP and other terrorist groups.
In last couple of months, voluntarily repatriating Afghans are facing discrimination and social stigma hindering their merger into Afghan society particular for their extended stay in Pakistan.
Earlier, Pakistan said it has no plan to extend the deadline and all undocumented foreigners would be deported irrespective of their nationality.
Pakistan has been hosting a large number of Afghan refugees since the 1979 Soviet war. As per the UN Human Rights Office, more than 2 million undocumented Afghans were residing in Pakistan, including at least 600,000 who left the country after the Taliban came into power in August 2021.
