5,000 Afghan migrants return home from Pakistan

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Continuing the deportation of Afghan migrants from Pakistan, officials in Balochistan province have stated that 5,000 Afghan migrants returned to Afghanistan in the last 15 days.

Pakistani media reported on Sunday that these migrants have returned to their country through the Chaman-Spin Boldak border crossing.
Afghan refugees in Pakistan are alleging that the Pakistani army is destroying their homes to force them to leave the country. These long-term residents are now turning to refugee advocates for help. Haji Nazar, a Pakistani-based Afghan refugee, stated, “In the last two days, Afghan family camps have been brutally demolished, seemingly without consideration for the women and children living in these homes.”

On the other hand, Mir Ahmad Rauf, head of the Afghan Refugees’ Council in Pakistan, has revealed extensive destruction of Afghan homes in Islamabad’s B-17, Karachi, and various parts of Pakistan. He highlights that not only are houses being demolished, but Afghan refugees’ personal belongings are being seized, illustrating the distressing challenges they face at the hands of the government.

Previously, the Ministry of Refugees and Repatriations of the Taliban had reported the return of 820 Afghan migrant families from Pakistan, both forcibly and voluntarily.

It’s worth noting that the Pakistan Interior Ministry has warned that all foreign nationals, including Afghan migrants, without proper legal documentation, must leave the country by the end of October; otherwise, they will face expulsion.

Pakistan’s decision to expel Afghan migrants has drawn international reactions.

Zabihullah Mujahid, the spokesperson for the Taliban administration, also commented on Pakistan’s decision to expel Afghan migrants, stating that “their hardship and imprisonment do not benefit any country. Unfortunately, it continues to strain relations between Afghanistan, Pakistan, and our two nations.” (TKP)