The Taliban’s consul in Karachi, Abdul Jabar Takhari, disclosed that nearly 400,000 Afghan refugees have returned to Afghanistan from Pakistan in the past two months. The mass return is part of Pakistan’s deportation efforts, initiated in October, which also involves detaining Afghan refugees. Takhari stated that around 1,000 Afghan refugees are currently in detention in Pakistan.
Afghan refugees in Pakistani detention centres expressed distress over their situation, citing challenges and unjust imprisonment. Concerns were raised about the crackdown by Pakistani police, targeting both legal and illegal refugees without distinguishing between them, according to Mir Ahmad Raufi, head of the Afghan Refugees Council.
The deportees, who faced expulsion after Pakistan’s November 1 deadline, now grapple with dire conditions and cold weather in Afghanistan. Many were forced to leave behind belongings in Pakistan. The Taliban has established a camp in Kabul’s Sarai Shamali area to accommodate the deportees, with facilities to host over 500 people for short stays.
The decision by Pakistan to deport over 1.73 million undocumented Afghan refugees has sparked international criticism. Deportees are seeking assistance amid challenging circumstances, urging support from the Taliban. The mass return and detention of Afghan refugees continue to raise humanitarian and human rights concerns on an international scale.