The Taliban interim government of Afghanistan strongly criticized Pakistan’s decision to expel refugees, describing it as “inhumane, unfair, and barbaric.” Interim Defence Minister, Mullah Yaqub Mujahid, expressed concern that this decision would have a negative impact on bilateral relations, making them difficult and strained.
Previously, the Taliban government had urged Islamabad to allow refugees to stay unless they left voluntarily. Pakistan had set a deadline of November 1 for refugees to leave voluntarily, or they would face immediate deportation. This stern stance by Islamabad is seen as a tactic to pressure the Afghan Taliban to limit the activities of the Pakistani Taliban, who have been launching attacks against Pakistani security forces and civilians. Additionally, Islamabad alleges that Afghan nationals are involved in terrorism and drug smuggling within Pakistan.
The Taliban government’s spokesman, Zabiullah Mujahid, called Pakistan’s treatment of Afghan refugees unacceptable and called on Islamabad to reconsider its plan. He emphasized that Afghan refugees are not responsible for Pakistan’s security problems as long as they leave the country voluntarily.
Pakistani Interior Minister Sarfraz Bugti stated that Afghan refugees had been given a deadline of November 1 to leave, citing that 14 out of 24 suicide bombings in the country this year were carried out by Afghan nationals. Bugti also noted that around 1.73 million Afghan nationals in Pakistan lacked legal documents to stay, with a total of 4.4 million Afghan refugees residing in the country.
Official statistics indicate that 150,000 Afghan refugees have returned to Afghanistan via the Torkham border crossing over the past two years.
Meanwhile, a social media post attributed to China’s ambassador to Kabul, Zhao Xing, criticized Pakistan’s treatment of Afghan refugees, calling it a violation of human rights and good neighborliness. The post urged the Pakistani government to stop this policy and called on human rights organizations to encourage Pakistan to change its behavior.
The history of Afghan refugees in Pakistan has been marked by periods of hostility, with several attempts to deport them over the years. However, these efforts often fizzled out as understanding developed between Kabul and Islamabad. The current tension arises from alleged Afghan involvement in a terror attack in Pakistan, although the Afghan interim government has not clarified whether these individuals are affiliated with Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan or the Islamic State of Khorasan, both of which are active in Pakistan.
Questions have also been raised about Pakistan’s role in providing Afghan refugees with illegal documents to stay, given that even the former Taliban chief, Mullah Akhtar Mansour, was found with a Pakistani passport.
Some analysts believe that Pakistan’s expulsion of Afghan refugees is a last resort to pressure the Afghan Taliban into curbing the attacks by TTP and ISIS(K). Refugees have become a tool in the complex dynamics between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Additionally, there are reports of a camp being established in the Lalapor district of Nangarhar province to accommodate newly returning refugees from Pakistan, especially families headed by women or those without shelter or support. Meanwhile, residents of Nangarhar have called on the Pakistani government to cease harassment of Afghan refugees.
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