Efforts underway for release of Afghan refugees from Pakistani prisons: ministry

Following the reactions to the imprisonment of hundreds of Afghan refugees, including women and children, by the Pakistani government, the foreign ministry of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan says efforts are underway to release these immigrants from Pakistani prisons.

The deputy spokesman for the Foreign Ministry, Zia Ahmad Takal, emphasizes that so far, talks have been held with the officials of the Pakistani embassy in Kabul, Pakistan’s special representative for Afghanistan affairs and some other officials of this country about solving the problems of Afghan refugees in Pakistan.

“Regarding solving the problems of Afghan refugees in Pakistan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has spoken with the Pakistani ambassador in Kabul, the special representative of this country and the Afghan embassy in Islamabad.

On the other hand, Naseer Ahmad Faiq, the head of Afghanistan’s seat in the United Nations, condemned the imprisonment of Afghan refugees in Pakistan on Twitter and asked Islamabad to release the immigrants as soon as possible.

In addition, some international organizations supporting human rights and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees are concerned about the situation of imprisoned refugees and demanded their release from the Pakistani government.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Refugees and Repatriations (MoRR) said that Pakistan is always persecuting Afghans living in that country, contrary to international migration laws.

The officials of this ministry still ask Islamabad not to connect political issues with the issues related to immigrants.

“The problems between Afghanistan and Pakistan should be resolved through negotiations. Our demand from Iran and Pakistan is not to politicize the issues of immigrants and their rights should be in accordance with international laws and Islam,” said Mohammad Arsala Kharoti, the deputy minister of MoRR.

Not having legal residence documents in Pakistan is considered one of the main reasons for the imprisonment of Afghan immigrants in that country.

Pakistan’s National Human Rights Commission said in a report that at least 139 Afghan women and 165 children are being held in Karachi’s women’s prison along with criminals.

At the same time as the end of 2022, the deadline of the Pakistani government for foreign nationals whose visa validity has expired has ended.

The Ministry of Interior of Pakistan had previously announced that foreign nationals whose visas have expired must leave this country by the end of this year.