Afghan refugees ordered to leave Pakistan by year-end
Afghan refugee Nazo Khyber, 8, holds her brother Bilal, 1, while walking back to her home in a slum area on the outskirts of Islamabad, Pakistan, Friday, July 20, 2012. -AP Photo
PESHAWAR: The Government of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) has ordered all unregistered and illegal Afghan refugees to leave the country by Friday, August 31 or face legal action.
The Home and Travel Department of KP issued a directive instructing those foreign nationals, including Afghan refugees, who do not hold Proof of Registration (POR) cards or valid visa documents to leave the country by August 31. The provincial government has warned all foreign nationals of legal action and possible arrests if they fail to follow the directives.
Pakistan is currently home to over three million Afghan refugees, according to some statistics, while around 2.5 million refugees were believed to have returned to Afghanistan following the deployment of US-led Nato forces in the country.
While majority of the Afghan refugees are based in KP and the adjoining Federally Administered Tribal Areas, several thousand have also spread out to the Sindh, Punjab and Balochistan provinces in the years since the Afghan War. Provincial governments have reportedly been cracking down on refugee camps and send hoards of illegal refugees and deporting them via the Torkham Pass close to the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.
Meanwhile in Peshawar, the DCO has said that the local police and law-enforcement agencies have been, on a daily basis, arresting and deporting foreign nationals living in the province without legal documents in accordance with the “14 Foreign Act.”
Those foreign nationals who are involved in businesses and trade have been told to wind up their work by year-end and leave the country otherwise they will be evicted.
Apart from Afghan refugees, nationals of Central Asian countries, including Tajikistan and Uzbekistan have also been reportedly been living in KP and Fata and have, in some cases, disguised themselves as Afghan nationals.
Last month, officials of UNHCR denied a report published in a foreign newspaper that Pakistan would expel Afghan refugees by the end of the year. — With files from Zahir Shah Sherazi
im an afghan refugee i love pakistan and the people of pakistan!
Good luck to the Afghan refugees
Good luck to the Afghan people
It was a mixed bag hosting you
Recriminations between us, a many
May your journey to Afghanistan be safe
May you prosper and be happy
Sadly, we will not miss you
Reciprocally, you will soon forget us
Good bye and Good luck!!!
go home with calm ….Bros.
Illegal immigrants deserve to be deported back to their countries where they belong to (citizenship) irrespective of their religion/ ethnicity and Pakistan is in order for taking steps in this regard.
On the same lines Myanmar, India, Australia or any other country can act similarly .Every body in Pakistan should understand this particularly right wing religious parties and should prefer patriotism over religion. Illegal immigrants are always a burden on the national exchequer and indirectly and causes deprivation/ reduction of services provided by the government. Humanity is good but charity begins at home first.
yeay finally my prayers got an answer send them back about time so sad the te whole govt of pakistan is not doing the same …………………..send them every one of them
sad for our afghan brothers. Pk government is the real robbers and we think that the refugees are the problem. like sending them back will solve pk problem. political awareness is almost zero in our country.
Must Go ASAP.
Bravo, pack them back.They have messed up our country.
I am concerned about those holding Nadra (Afghan Citizen) Cards?
We have heard this news many time before and nothing happens I hope this time the government will do something.
i wish it could be implemented as it is announced.
What about Muslim ummah. Arent they responsibility of Muslims?
And then you complain that Bangladesh refused Muslims from Burma
Heading = ” ..by YEAR-end ” Detail = ‘.. Friday, August 31 ” Which one is correct? If it is August 31, then the govt. must be joking.
The government is always joking.
Don’t do today what you can put off until tomorrow, and don’t do tomorrow what you can put off until the day after tomorrow.
Deadline for illegals is tomorrow!!! Out of 3 million refugees currently, 2 million are illegals. It is an impossible task to deport them. Even if they are sent back, what is the guarantee that they will not return. This issue will create instability within the country and religious parties are certain to exploit the situation.
Hope late Zia Ul Haq will send us guidance from wherever he is, either Jannat or Jahanam
Same situation with the US and Mexico. Of course they will be back.
The hungry locusts are already attacking and we have only seven billion people on earth. What next?
Afghan Refugees have enjoyed full amount of hospitality. Now they must say thank you Pakistan and leave for their country. They would be helped by EU, USA and ISAF countries. This is the best time for their departure.
Officers of UNHCRand Afghan Commissionerate should looked beyond their jobs and let the refugees go and settle.
This is a good news for every Pakistani
Unfortunate but necessary,not only for Pakistan rut also for Afghan Refugees.The government must persuade the Afghan government to arrange their return as soon as possible Pakistan has done enough for the unfortunate Afghans so far.
What about those who got Pakistani ID and passports with bribery? I think they are more in numbers than those who have refugee status.
They have been living here for 33 years. Now our brothers should go back with gratitude and feelings of brotherhood as we slept outside and provided them our homes.
The fight between the history makers like the Afghan army and the mighty Pak army, and between the learned politicians on both sides are endangering the peace and life of this poor girl in the picture (and of millions more). Do these makers of history really expect us to call them clever or even good?
She looks happy.
Better than a slum on the outskirts of Kandahar.
You can take her in your home, and make her your daughter. Save her from a lifetime of slavery. Governments don’t save people. People save people.
we should not send them back.. poor people where will they go??? we should look after them??
Orders like these have been issued many times in the past and have all come to nought.
india should also do something about illegal immigrants from Bangladesh in india. shame on govt. which provide citizenship to them for vote bank.
i wish Indian Govt will soon order same for Bangladeshi Refugees to leave India by 2014 elections.
The sooner they go the better it is for Pakistan as a whole.
i strongly agree
good decision