Pakistan begins major crackdown against Afghan nationals

Islamabad, April 3 (IANS) The government of Pakistan has started a major nationwide crackdown against Afghan nationals, arresting hundreds of "illegal foreigners", including Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) holders, before transferring them to camps for further repatriation to Afghanistan.

Hundreds of Afghan nationals have been taken into custody as law enforcement agencies began deportation process for them along with their families following the Eid holidays and March 31 deadline that was set for the voluntary return of Afghan nationals in Pakistan.

Interestingly, directives issued to the security forces reveal that if any Afghan citizen is implicated in criminal activities, the entire family will face deportation as part of the country's broader punitive approach.

The Afghan Taliban government in Kabul had requested Islamabad to delay the process of repatriation of Afghan nationals in Pakistan but Islamabad is in no mood to relet and has started conducting raids and arresting Afghan nationals from major cities.

"Notably, Pakistan has announced a renewed crackdown, stating that it will deport individuals without legal residence permits, even as valid cardholders face uncertainty," the Afghan government stated.

"Pakistan could not be expected to shoulder the responsibility of hosting Afghan refugees indefinitely. There is a need for humanitarian aid, not just for short-term relief but also to support long-term development initiatives," said Philippa Candler, UNHCR representative in Pakistan.

The decision to not extend the deadline and start a crackdown was taken during a meeting between Pakistan Interior Minister Mohsin Raza Naqvi and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, during which a briefing about the repatriation process of Afghan nationals was given.

The government authorities had issued a stern warning that it would take action against those who failed to leave the country by March 31.

As per details, at least 43 camps have been established to accommodate Afghan refugees in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province. Sources say that the authorities will conduct raids and take into custody illegal Afghans in the country, who will then be transferred to the refugee camps. They will then be enlisted before being transferred to the Landi Kotal area at the Torkham Pak-Afghan border for repatriation.

Statistics reveal that there are at least 1,344,584 Afghan nationals in the county with at least 709,278 Afghan nationals residing in KP having a Proof of Registration (PoR) with them.

Provincial data reveals that there are at least 317,000 registered Afghans in Balochistan, 74,117 in Sindh, 196,000 in Punjab, 42,718 in capital Islamabad and 4,448 Afghan refugees in other parts of the country.

Pakistan has maintained that its mass deportation drive is to regulate undocumented migration and keep a tab on illegal immigrants, who have, at times, become a security threat to the country.

--IANS

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