The government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has accepted the decision of the central government of Pakistan regarding the return of Afghan refugees by March 31, said news outlets, citing sources.
Pakistani media outlets reported that, contrary to the statements of the chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Ali Amin Gandapur, the decision to deport Afghan refugees will also be implemented in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
“The Express Tribune learned from very reliable sources in the provincial government that the Gandapur government would not interfere in any way with the policy being implemented by the Centre regarding the return of Afghan refugees and the said policy would be followed,” the news outlet reported.
“We call on the international community and the responsible institutions to halt this process. Afghan refugees in Pakistan face many problems, and this action will only close the window of hope for them,” Abdul Khaleq, an Afghan refugee in Pakistan,
Meanwhile, some Afghan refugees in Pakistan who are awaiting resettlement in the United States have written an open letter to the prime minister of Pakistan, Shehbaz Sharif, demanding a halt to the deportation of Afghan refugees. They also called for the facilitation of the visa extension process.
“Even though we have visas and passports, we still face various crises in Pakistan. Whenever we go out to get bread, we do so with fear and anxiety,” said Abdullah, another Afghan refugee in Pakistan.
Samea, also a refugee in Pakistan, said that refugees are concerned about the deportation process. Samea said: “This process is worrying for all refugees in Pakistan, and all are under psychological stress.”
Previously, Ali Amin Gandapur, chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, had opposed the central government’s decision, emphasizing that Afghan refugees with legal documents should be allowed to stay in Pakistan.
