As the deadline for voluntary repatriation of illegal foreign immigrants including Afghans ended on October 31, the government has swung into action across the country and illegal immigrants are being kept at the holding points for deportation to their country of origin.
There has been an outcry from the Afghan side and on social media about the deportation of illegal immigrants. In this context, Afghan Charge d’Affaires met with Caretaker Interior Minister Sarfaraz Bugti. During this meeting, Afghan diplomat Sardar Ahmad Shakeeb addressed issues concerning the repatriation of Afghan nationals from Pakistan to Afghanistan and other topics of mutual interest.
The Interior Minister emphasized that immigrants who are in Pakistan illegally should return to their home countries. He stated, “We have issued instructions to ensure the respectful treatment of those returning home.” He also made it clear that no legal action would be taken against individuals holding Afghan citizenship cards, saying that the government is committed to preventing any discourteous or impolite treatment of immigrants.
The point is that Pakistan had been host to Afghans for more than four decades now, and had done everything possible in its meagre resources. Thus, the decision to shunt out around two million refugees who are now a burden on the economy and political fabric was a wise move, as the situation in the war-torn country is returning to normalcy, and new avenues of geo-economics are opening up for the landlocked state.
So there is no forcible return of Afghan nationals, as claimed by donor bodies, and there is no human rights catastrophe in the making. These undocumented Afghans now pose a threat to security as revulsion is widely noticed in the border areas, and non-state actors take refuge amidst such solitary souls. Likewise, Pakistan’s prescription to facilitate refugees with all kinds of travel amenities must be appreciated, as it is a new normal wherever such exodus of men in shadows is experienced.
