Pakistan’s Deputy Minister of the Interior, Talal Chaudhry, has confirmed that no further extensions will be granted for Afghan refugees to remain in the country. He stated that the process of returning undocumented migrants to Afghanistan remains ongoing, with over 800,000 deported so far.
According to Chaudhry, individuals holding Afghan Citizenship Cards (ACC) or any other types of identification cards are being sent back to Afghanistan. “Since October 30, 2023, more than 800,000 individuals have been deported, and just in the past few days, 11,000 ACC cardholders were returned to Afghanistan. This process will continue, and there will be no new extension for asylum seekers, who have until the end of April to make arrangements,” he explained.
Meanwhile, Mawlavi Abdul Kabir, the Acting Minister of Refugees and Repatriation, criticized Pakistan’s actions during a meeting with Robert Chatterton Dickson, the British chargé d’affaires for Afghanistan. Kabir highlighted that the forced deportation of migrants is a violation of international laws and norms. “The situation requires increased support from the international community to ensure that the rights of Afghan migrants are upheld,” Kabir emphasized.
During the same meeting, Dickson confirmed that the United Kingdom had added more than seven million pounds to its humanitarian aid for Afghan migrants. The additional funding aims to provide further support and assistance to those affected by the deportations.
For ongoing updates on the situation of Afghan refugees, international aid efforts, and related developments, visit www.u.af — your trusted source for global news and humanitarian coverage.
