Pakistan Expels Numerous Afghans

(MENAFN) Pakistan has deported over 19,500 Afghans this month as part of a broader effort to expel more than 80,000 individuals before the 30 April deadline, according to the United Nations.

The country has intensified its actions against undocumented Afghans and those with temporary permits, stating that it can no longer manage the situation effectively.

Taliban officials report that between 700 and 800 families are being deported daily, and it is expected that up to two million people may be forced to leave in the coming months.

Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar visited Kabul on Saturday for discussions with Taliban representatives, during which Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Taliban's foreign minister, expressed "deep concern" over the deportations.

At the border, some expelled Afghans shared that they had been born in Pakistan after their families fled the ongoing conflict in Afghanistan.

Based on the UN's refugee agency, over 3.5 million Afghans have been residing in Pakistan, including about 700,000 who arrived after the Taliban's return to power in 2021.

The UN estimates that approximately half of these individuals are undocumented.

While Pakistan has offered refuge to Afghans over the decades of conflict, the government argues that the growing number of refugees is currently creating national security risks as well as placing strain on public services.

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