Afghan refugees in Pak fear deportation: Report
The recent steps by the Sindh provincial government to deal with illegal migrants is attracting bad press, the Khaama Press reported, adding that the authorities detained around 1,200 Afghan men, women, and children without visas or stay permits, who now live in fear of imprisonment or possible deportation to Afghanistan.
ANI
Jan 07, 2023 23:57 IST
Islamabad [Pakistan], January 7 (ANI): The recent steps by the Sindh provincial government to deal with illegal migrants is attracting bad press, the Khaama Press reported, adding that the authorities detained around 1,200 Afghan men, women, and children without visas or stay permits, who now live in fear of imprisonment or possible deportation to Afghanistan.
The Afghan refugees had entered Pakistan with or without visas, seeking refuge, the report said.
The Afghans now need a visa extension to legally live in Pakistan, the report stated, adding that this would mean that they will be subjected to expensive and unregulated agents.
The lack of transparency in the visa extension process has forced them to avoid paying a considerable amount to officials for the purpose, the report said.
Further, the report quoted unnamed sources claiming that the first batch of these individuals who have already passed a two-month sentence will be deported to Afghanistan on January 9 where an uncertain future awaits them.
Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Memon justified detaining the Afghans, saying, "If a person lives illegally in any country, the government takes action and deals with them according to the law."
The report claimed that these arrests made by the government are a response to the rise in terror attacks in Pakistan which has claimed hundreds of lives, including civilians and army personnel.
According to the report, "The attacks had brought Afghanistan-Pakistan relations to a tipping point with Pakistan accusing the Afghan Taliban of allowing the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) to have given sanctuaries to the terrorist group."
The Afghan Taliban, however, has trashed the claims as nothing but baseless allegations, warning the Pakistan government against making provocative and irresponsible statements.
The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) on January 4, had released stats claiming that about 1,000 people were killed or injured in attacks by the terrorist group in Pakistan. (ANI)
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