Afghan women refugees report mistreatment, police torture during stay in Pakistan

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Several Afghan immigrant women have reported experiencing mistreatment and police torture during their stays in Pakistan, Khaama Press reported.

The Khaama Press News Agency is an online news service for Afghanistan.

The Pakistani government’s decision to expel Afghan refugees due to the ongoing mistreatment towards migrants has sparked international condemnation.

Reports of mistreatment by the Pakistani police towards migrants surfaced recently. At least three immigrant women, including a journalist, have confirmed that they have experienced mistreatment and, in some cases, torture by the Pakistani police.

A woman with two children in Pakistan, Samia, is following her asylum case, and despite legally entering Pakistan with a valid visa for her stay, she has been threatened by the Pakistani police.

She told Khama Press News Agency, “I experienced [police mistreatment of migrants] myself a while ago, but I have heard from my friends that they are now harassing migrants a lot.”

About a month ago, Samia faced a police raid on her home while having dinner. The police examined all her documents and then, in a threatening tone, told her to leave her residence.

Since then, Samia has lived on the outskirts of one of Pakistan’s cities with her two children. She fears that the mistreatment by the Pakistani police may prevent her from pursuing her case.

Marziya, a 17-year-old girl whose father and brother were first detained and then expelled by the Pakistani police, now lives in Islamabad with her mother and younger sister, as per Khaama Press.

“Everyone has experienced or witnessed at least one case of torture or mistreatment by the Pakistani police,” Marziya said.

For her, it is still unclear why the Pakistani police expelled her father and brother because their visa had two months left before expiration. (ANI)