THE Taliban regime on Tuesday called upon Pakistan not to start deportation of Afghan nationals, as the deadline for Afghan Citizenship Card (ACC) holders to voluntarily leave the country expired a day earlier.
Afghan Minister of Refugees and Repatriation, Mawlavi Abdul Kabir, has urged ‘neighbouring countries’ (Pakistan and Iran) to halt planned deportations and allow Afghans to return home voluntarily.
He also referred to alleged mistreatment of Afghans by border nations, claiming there were instances where individuals holding legal visas were also deported.
Incidentally, the appeal comes in the backdrop of a decision by Pakistan authorities to delay the deportation plan till April 10 citing logistic problems due to Eid holidays after which the country intends to implement the decision and there is every reason to go ahead with the repatriation plan because of the ground realities.
Pakistan has hosted millions of Afghan refugees for decades in view of the longstanding conflict in the neighbouring country.
Pakistan did so despite economic and social consequences of the decision, motivated by humanitarian considerations and inability of the international community to fulfill its commitments vis-à-vis the wellbeing of the refugees.
A number of attempts were made to repatriate them to their own homes or safe areas in Afghanistan but most of the refugees preferred staging a comeback even after receiving financial assistance for the purpose.
The voluntary return policy has not worked mainly because of non-cooperation of Afghanistan and the world community and Pakistan was no longer in a position to host them due to their objectionable activities.
Apart from reports of their involvement in criminal activities, some refugees also started taking part in political activities and anti-government demonstrations.
There have also been confirmed reports of use of these refugees by anti-Pakistan agencies in sponsoring acts of terrorism.
It was in this backdrop that the Government of Pakistan decided to launch a phased programme for repatriation of all illegal aliens.
This programme was initiated in November 2023 and in the first phase those living in Pakistan without proper documents were targeted and according to reports seven hundred thousands of them have so far been sent back to their country.
In continuation to the government’s decision to repatriate all illegal foreigners, national leadership has now decided to also repatriate ACC holders.
In the past, Pakistan postponed the decision to repatriate Afghan refugees forcibly in response to appeals for the purpose either by the Afghan Government or the international community in the hope that they would go back voluntarily.
The term ‘voluntary repatriation’ has widely been misused to prolong the stay of illegal immigrants with implications for the country and its people.
Afghanistan has a population of about 42 million and the question arises why those living in Pakistan can’t join their 42 million countrymen.
With the exception of stray politically motivated voices, there is unanimous demand from all segments of the society to repatriate all Afghan refugees to their homeland where Taliban claim to have total and effective control of the entire country, meaning thereby there should be no concerns about safety and security of those returning to their areas.
It is also a fact that the country suffered hugely but still hosted Afghan refugees but it was forced to go for arranged repatriation after the Taliban Government flatly refused to cooperate with Pakistan authorities in tackling the renewed surge in terrorism in Pakistan.
Instead of politicizing the issue and trying to malign Pakistan, the Taliban Government should make necessary arrangements to facilitate rehabilitation of those returning to their home after many years.
The Afghan Government should also assuage safety concerns of 1.3 million Afghans, who were issued Proof of Registration cards by the UNHCR and are now living in Islamabad and Rawalpindi, encouraging them to return home.
These Afghans worked with the coalition forces in Afghanistan and were promised settlement in the United States and other Western countries but there is no forward movement in this regard.
