Why Pakistan is Kicking Out Afghan Refugees?

Hundreds of thousands of Afghan refugees are being forced to leave Pakistan in a government crackdown that has sparked international condemnation. The Afghan government has denounced the move as illegal. However, Pakistan insists it is necessary to address a rise in attacks by armed groups.

Pakistan is the most friendly country in South Asia. It welcomes its neighbors to seek refuge under its feathers for many decades, especially for Afghan refugees. However, in November 2023, Pakistan announced a groundbreaking announcement to ask all illegal refugees to go back to their native countries as soon as possible.

This news affects the Afghani population the most. They condemn this law with their full potential but they can’t do it because they are living in the country illegally. They are asked to register themselves under NADRA but they refrain from doing it. This situation makes them outsiders in the country and they have to leave for their war-torn country.

Pakistan knows that Afghanistan is still developing and getting healed after the repercussions of the war. However, the additional expense of bearing refugees is a big toll on the country’s economy which is already dwindling in uncertainty. Theft and fraud cases caused by afghanis also put an oil in this crackdown.

Aghani refugees who are born here do not know anything about their native country. Their illegal residence makes them not Pakistani and not even afghani in this country. Pakistan is deporting them anyway, even taking their money. This leaves them with little to nothing in a war-torn Afghanistan.

Recently there are deadly attacks occur on the Durand Lines caused a lot of casualties on both sides. These attacks makes Pakistani government to speeds up the evacuation process to secure lives of innocent civilians. They asked people living on the border to leave the country and find a safe place in their own country.

This announcement also made a small population of Yemeni people feel threaten. Their country is also facing brutal consequences of war and aerial attacks. Their fate can be decided only by the time.

International Reaction

The situation has led to criticism from the United Nations, the United States, and groups that protect people’s rights. They are asking Pakistan to stop sending people back and to follow the rules set by the world for treating refugees properly. Pakistan hasn’t agreed to the rules from the 1951 Geneva Convention, which means it doesn’t have its own laws to protect refugees. Even so, experts say sending people back violates the basic rights of not sending them to a dangerous or unfair place.

Rights supporters say Afghanistan fits that description too. Since the Taliban took control in 2021, things have gotten worse. It makes it even more dangerous for refugees sent back from Pakistan. The U.S. is trying to help at least twenty-five thousand Afghans who are in danger, like people who helped during the war, journalists, and those fighting for women’s rights.

Sending people back could also make Pakistan’s relationship with Afghanistan worse. Afghanistan doesn’t agree with Pakistan’s decision. Afghanistan needs more help, but some countries are unsure about giving it. Some experts think Pakistan’s plan to stop attacks by sending people back might not work. It could even make things worse by making people angry and making Afghanistan less likely to work with Pakistan.

This situation is heartbreaking. Afghan refugees who escaped war are being forced back into it, all because of a political fight they have nothing to do with.