Kabir Flays Forced Deportations From Iran, Pakistan

KABUL (Pajhwok): Acting Minister of Refugees and Repatriation Maulvi Abdul Kabir has urged host countries to implement a systematic mechanism for the return of Afghan refugees instead of forced deportations.

He issued the call at separate meetings with Iranian Ambassador Alireza Bigdeli and Pakistani Ambassador Ubaid Ur Rehman Nizamani in Kabul, the Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation said in a statement.

Maulvi Kabir described Pakistan and Iran as friendly and Muslim neighbouring countries, acknowledging their long-standing hospitality toward millions of Afghan refugees.

He urged the nations to show patience and tolerance in dealing with Afghan refugees.

He added:“Recently, mistreatment of Afghan refugees in Pakistan and Iran has increased. We urge host countries to adhere to international refugee principles and treat Afghans with human and Islamic dignity.”

The acting minister reaffirmed the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan's (IEA) commitment to regional stability and economic cooperation.

He reiterated that while the IEA encouraged Afghan refugees to return home, the process must be gradual and well-structured.

“Deporting all Afghan refugees from Pakistan by the end of June is unrealistic, as they cannot gather their entire assets in such a short time,” he argued, calling for joint mechanisms and bilateral or trilateral meetings to address the issue.

Maulvi Kabir added closing the Torkham crossing, engaging in conflicts, or resorting to violence would not address the existing challenges.

He urged immediate steps to reopen the key crossing between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

For his part, the Pakistani ambassador assured the minister he would formally convey Afghanistan's concerns to his government.

“Pakistan's future is closely linked with Afghanistan. We do not use Afghan refugees as political tools but seek to resolve issues through mutual understanding,” the envoy commented.

Meanwhile, the Iranian ambassador highlighted Tehran's efforts to support legal refugees while stressing the need for permanently addressing the issue of undocumented Afghans.

“Given the strong ties between Afghanistan and Iran, both countries must work together to address Afghan refugees' issues,” he said, adding Iran aimed to provide necessary legal documents to undocumented Afghans.

The Iranian diplomat also praised the decree the interim Afghan government issued last month against human trafficking.

The decree seeks to combat human trafficking, instructing the Ministry of Interior (MoI) to arrest traffickers and refer them to military courts for prosecution.

kk/mud

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