The United Nations (UN) stated on Tuesday that refugees living in Pakistan should be allowed to leave the country willingly and that no pressure should be put on them, hours after the caretaker administration decided to deport more than 1 million “illegal immigrants” after the deadline of November 1.
To assure protection for individuals seeking safety, any refugee return must be voluntary and free of any compulsion, according to Qaisar Khan Afridi, a spokesman for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
After learning that 14 of the 24 suicide bombings that have taken place in the nation this year were carried out by Afghan nationals, the interim government earlier in the day ordered all illegal immigrants, including 1.73 million Afghans, to leave the country immediately or risk expulsion.
The UN on Pakistan’s proposal to deport Afghan refugees: “Return must be voluntary
Interior Minister Sarfraz Bugti stated, “We have given them a November 1 deadline,” stating that beyond that date, all illegal immigrants will either be forced to leave on their own volition or be deported.
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According to Bugti, 4.4 million Afghan refugees are in Pakistan, including around 1.73 million Afghan citizens who lack the necessary documentation to remain.
The UNHCR representative described press allegations of a plan to deport Afghans without documentation as “disconcerting” and stated that the organization was seeking clarification from “our government partners”.
Afridi requested Pakistan to develop a strategy to prevent the deportation of any Afghan people under international protection, saying that Islamabad has “generously hosted refugees for more than 40 years.”
He continued, “We must also keep in mind that persons escaping persecution frequently lack the required papers and travel authorizations.
Afridi added that the UNHCR is prepared to assist Pakistan in creating a system to oversee and record those on its soil who require international protection and to address “particular vulnerabilities.”
“Pakistan has long been a compassionate host to refugees. Although this function has received widespread recognition, more must be done to equal its generosity, he continued.
Since the Soviet invasion of Kabul in 1979, Islamabad has experienced the highest migration of Afghan refugees.
The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and other militant groups have claimed they train members on Afghan soil and plot operations inside Pakistan, according to Pakistan.
