PEHAWAR: Following alleged involvement of Afghan nationals in extortion, terrorism activities, and other unlawful activities, Pakistan has decided to repatriate 1.1 million illegal refugees back to Afghanistan.
While there has been no official statement issued on this matter, the sources suggest that the decision was based on a summary circulated by the interior ministry.
According to these reports, the interior ministry formulated this repatriation plan after consulting with all relevant stakeholders, including the Afghan government.
The repatriation process will be carried out in multiple stages. The initial phase will target Afghan individuals residing in Pakistan without valid visa renewals. Subsequently, the second phase will address those who still maintain Afghan citizenship, and the third phase will focus on Afghan nationals who can provide proof of residence.
The government’s rationale behind this action is the belief that some of these illegal Afghan refugees have been allegedly involved in activities such as smuggling and terrorism within Pakistan.
It is pertinent to mention here that security forces yesterday have arrested four Afghan nationals who were involved in facilitating the Daesh terrorists’ attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
On Tuesday, addressing a press conference in Peshawar, DIG Counter Terrorism Department (CTD), Imran Shahid, claimed that they arrested two Afghan nationals linked to the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which Pakistan claims has established safe havens in Afghanistan. “Zaman Faiz and Saeedullah, both Afghan citizens, were apprehended in Lahore, and their mobile phones have been confiscated,” he revealed.
In his presser, he said that these extortionists targeted businessmen, politicians, and other individuals who refrained from reporting to local authorities due to fear. “The arrested individuals were operating in the Mohmand district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with 71 other accomplices. This network even contacted politicians, including a senator and a member of the provincial assembly, demanding extortion money.”
