Islamabad, Feb 3 (PTI) – Pakistan’s Defence Minister, Khawaja Asif, has issued a stern warning regarding Afghan refugees awaiting resettlement in Western nations, stating that they will be deported if host countries fail to accept them promptly.
In an interview with Geo News, Asif expressed frustration over the delay in relocating Afghan refugees, many of whom fled to Pakistan following the Taliban's takeover of Kabul in August 2021. He highlighted that approximately 175,000 Afghans had initially arrived in Pakistan with plans to settle in the US and other Western countries, yet thousands remain stranded, waiting for their relocation.
“They would be sent back to Afghanistan if not accepted by the host countries,” Asif asserted, signaling Pakistan’s growing impatience with the prolonged resettlement process.
The uncertainty surrounding these refugees has been exacerbated by the Trump administration’s recent decision to suspend the US Refugee Admissions Program from January 27 for at least three months. Pakistan’s Foreign Office spokesperson, Shafqat Ali Khan, acknowledged the suspension but expressed hope that the program would resume soon.
“We are hopeful that the program would be restarted so that the remaining Afghan refugees could be resettled in the US as per commitments given by the US government,” Khan stated.
He also noted that while he needed to verify the latest figures, previous records indicated that approximately 80,000 Afghan nationals had already been resettled in various countries, while around 40,000 were still awaiting relocation in Pakistan.
Rising Tensions and Crackdown on Illegal Immigrants
Relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have continued to sour, largely due to Kabul’s alleged inaction against the banned militant group, Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which Islamabad accuses of launching attacks from Afghan soil. The presence of Afghan refugees has further complicated the situation, with some reportedly involved in militancy and protests, including those linked to Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI).Currently, around 1.45 million Afghan refugees reside legally in Pakistan, with their stay extended until June. However, hundreds of thousands of undocumented Afghans also remain in the country. In November 2023, Pakistan initiated a crackdown on illegal immigrants, primarily targeting Afghans. Since then, an estimated 800,000 Afghans have either voluntarily returned or been deported.
The fate of the remaining refugees remains uncertain as Pakistan pressures host nations to expedite their resettlement, warning that failure to do so will result in mass deportations back to Afghanistan.
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