The Pakistani government has begun the process of deporting all foreign nationals who reside illegally in the country, including Afghans, sources said Wednesday.
However, Afghans sponsored by European or other foreign countries will not be deported at the moment. If their resettlement is not realized soon, they may also have deportation, according to sources in the Ministry of the Interior.
Officials said that under the illegal foreigners -Ratriation plan (IFRP), all undocumented foreigners who currently live in Pakistan will be sent back to their respective countries. As part of this plan, 781 Afghan citizens have already been repatriated from Islamabad via the Torkham border.
However, sources clarified that Afghan refugees sponsored by European or other foreign countries and awaiting resettlement will not be deported for now.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been instructed to urge sponsorship countries to accelerate the relocation process.
UNHCR, IOM raises concerns
Meanwhile, the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) have expressed concern about the government’s “devised plan” to move registered Afghan refugees from Islamabad and Rawalpindi and seek clarification of “modality and timeframe” of moving.
Concerns came a day after reports suggested that Afghan refugees were ‘quiet’ moved out of the federal capital and rawalpindi were eventually repatriated to their country. The measures were attributed to a plan devised in a series of meetings held last week under Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
In a joint statement issued in Islamabad on Wednesday, the UNHCR and IOM recognized the state’s authority to limit foreigners, including refugees.
However, they called on the authorities to “implement any relocation measures with proper consideration of human rights standards, including proper process, and the legal status of proof of registration (POR) and Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) holders who have lived in Pakistan for an extended period”.
UNHCR and IOM noted that the lack of a clear timeline for planning a worthy relocation added to an already stressful situation with immediate consequences for livelihood and children’s education.
“Pakistan has a long-lasting tradition of hosting refugees and saving millions of lives. This generosity is deeply appreciated,” quoted the statement UNHCR representative Philippa Candler as saying.
“Forced return to Afghanistan could place some people at increased risk. We urge Pakistan to continue to endanger Afghans, regardless of their documentation status.”
While they recognized the security -related challenges facing the government, the organizations emphasized that refugees, like all individuals, are expected to comply with the law.
“The overwhelming majority of Afghan nationals of Pakistan are law -abiding individuals whose situation is to be seen through a humanitarian lens,” the statement states.
IOM manager for Mission Mio Sato confirmed their obligation to cooperate with the government and UNHCR to establish a mechanism to “register, rule and screen Afghan citizens”. (With Input from News Desk)
