ISLAMABAD: As repatriation of Afghan refugees via Chaman-Spin Boltak border to their country continued on Sunday, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has said that Pakistan has been hosting Afghan refugees for the last over 40 years without receiving any funds in return.
Till now more than 5000 Afghan refugees have repatriated to their country. By the closure of deadline, repatriation of Afghan refugees was increasing. According to reports, voluntary repatriation of Afghan refugees from Pakistan to their country Afghanistan is continuing after Government of Pakistan ordered all illegal immigrants, including Afghan refugees to leave Pakistan. According to government authorities at Chaman, more than 5000 Afghan have already voluntarily repatriated to their country through Chaman-Spin Boldak border.
Afghan refugees are citizens of Afghanistan who were forced to flee their country as a result of wars, persecution, torture and genocide. The 1978 “Sour Revolution” followed by the invasion of the forces of Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) in 1979 forced millions of Afghans to migrate to neighbouring countries Pakistan and Iran. Many Afghans were again forced to flee their country during the civil war in 90s. The invasion of US and its allies in October 2001 forced millions of Afghan refugees to migrate to Pakistan.
‘Illegal immigrants threat to Pakistan’
On the other hand, the European Union Agency of Asylum and the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) have termed the presence of millions of illegal immigrants on Pakistani soil a threat to the country.
The report says that 1.7 million Afghans are living in the country illegally without any proof and registration. “Pakistan is not the only country which has decided to evict illegal Afghan nationals,” it says, adding, “Iran, too, in 2021 had ordered over one million Afghans to leave the country.”
Afghan nationals living in Pakistan have been facing the ire of the authorities after the apex committee a few weeks ago asked them to leave the country by October 31 or else face the music.
The decision was taken in view of their participation in incidents of violence of May 9 as well as involvement in incidents of terrorism.
