Islamabad:
Pakistan has rejected an application for Afghan Taliban to grant an extension in the stay of Afghan refugees. Kabul has been transmitted in clear terms that Islamabad will remain in its plan to deport all illegal and Afghan citizen card holders (ACC) from April 1.
In an important political decision, Pakistan on March 7 announced that ACC holders had until March 31 to leave the country or face deportation. There are around 800,000 ACC holders in Pakistan, but after March 31 they will be treated as illegal foreigners.
The reports were rounding that Pakistan planned to evict all the Afghan in the country, but this was for the first time that the Ministry of Interior officially confirmed the development.
“The illegal foreigner repatriation program (IFRP) has been implemented since November 1, 2023. In continuation of the government’s decision to repatriate all illegal foreigners, national leadership has now also decided to repatriate the owners of ACC,” said the official ministry brochure issued on March 7.
“All illegal foreigners and owners of ACCs are advised to leave the country voluntarily before March 31, 2025; from then on, deportation will begin Wef [with effect from] April 1, 2025, “added the statement.
Pakistan said that sufficient time had already been granted for a dignified return of Afghan migrants. After the issuance of this deadline, the Taliban government approached Pakistan through diplomatic channels with a request not to deport their nationals and give them more time.
Official sources told The Express PAkGazette on Sunday that the Pakistani decision was final and that there would be no relaxation. The sources said that the relevant authorities and the four provinces have received instructions to make the appropriate arrangements for the return of Afghan refugees.
More than 8,00,000 Afghans living in Pakistan have been repatriated to their country since Pakistan launched the campaign in November 2023. Pakistan, however, had saved those who were registered with UNHCR or had the ACC.
There are about 3 million Afghans that still reside in Pakistan. The Afghan government recently expressed concerns about the forced deportation of its nationals and claimed that abuse was being taught.
Pakistan, however, denied those charges and asked the Government of Taliban Afghan to create an environment in the country to encourage the dignified return of his compatriots.
The measure will aggravate the tense ties between the two countries.
Pakistan has blamed Afghanistan for the increase in terrorist attacks on his ground. Pakistan said that Afghan citizens were increasingly involved in recent terrorist attacks.
The initial investigations showed that Afghan citizens were also behind the recent terrorist attack aimed at Bannu closure. In addition, there were fire exchanges between Pakistan and Afghanistan at Torkham’s border crossing that has been closed since February 21.
Islamabad has blamed next to the closure of the key edge crossing. The dispute arose on a new checkstation, the Afghan side was building in the territory of Pakistan. The sources said that the deportation of Afghan would also be carried out through the Torkham border.
