Stanikzai accuses Pakistan of applying political pressure by deporting Afghans

Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai, the political deputy foreign minister of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA), on Wednesday called on Islamabad and Tehran to stop deporting Afghan refugees.

Speaking at the inauguration of the second phase of the Qosh Tepa Canal project, Stanikzai said that Pakistan is trying to exert economic and political pressure on the IEA by deporting Afghan migrants from the country.

However, he said political relations between the Islamic Emirate and foreign countries are expanding and that ties will be established with many countries in the near future.

At the same time, Pakistan’s special representative for Afghanistan, Asif Ali Durrani, said at the 74th meeting of the Executive Committee of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees that his country is deporting all illegal immigrants, not just illegal Afghans.

Durrani said Pakistan has appreciated the UNHCR’s support over the years whilst hosting millions of Afghan refugees.

But, he said, his country has decided to deport all illegal immigrants.

“The order of deportation of migrants taken by our government is for those migrants who have entered the country illegally or whose visas have expired, because Pakistan has hosted immigrants for four decades and they have not been helped by the international community, this country has faced many economic problems and is still facing insecurity,” said Durrani.