Pakistan denies UN refugee agency’s claim to stop deportations of ‘illegal’ foreigners
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s foreign ministry on Wednesday denied claims by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) that the country had suspended plans to repatriate illegal foreign migrants, mostly Afghan nationals, following a deportation drive launched by the government last year.
The Foreign Ministry denied the allegations just a day after UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi concluded a three-day visit to Pakistan where he met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Minister of Provincial and Border Areas Amir Muqam and other senior officials.
The UN High Commissioner for Refugees said in a statement that Grandi called for the timely extension of Proof of Registration (PoR) cards, a key identity document held by more than 1.3 million Afghans and proof of identity in the country.
According to the UN agency, the visiting officials expressed gratitude for the “pause” of plans to deport illegal foreigners and sought assurances that it would continue to be so. However, when asked about the development, foreign ministry spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch denied the allegations.
“That is not true,” she replied. “It should be noted that no such understanding has been expressed by Pakistan to UNHCR, including in its recent meetings with the High Commissioner for Refugees.”
Baloch added that the repatriation programme continues and is being “carried out in an orderly and phased manner.”
The UN agency said its head offered to work towards a dialogue on the issue later this year and pledged to bring together key players to develop a package of solutions that would benefit both Afghan refugees and host countries.
“Meanwhile, Pakistan continues to host around three million Afghans and all solutions should be considered, including voluntary repatriation as well as resettlement in third countries and long-term solutions within Pakistan,” UNHCR added.
Meanwhile, the Afghan embassy in a social media post said Acting Ambassador to Islamabad in Kabul, Sardar Ahmed Shakib, in his meeting with Prime Minister Grandi, conveyed that Afghan refugees are suffering due to the lack of a clear official policy on the refugee issue in Pakistan.
“The ambassador stressed that Afghan refugees should not be forcibly returned and should be allowed to return with dignity,” the post said, adding that Shakib called for providing a uniform and valid card to all Afghan nationals residing in Pakistan.
Following a sharp increase in suicide bombings in November last year, the Pakistani government began forcibly deporting Afghans, claiming without sufficient evidence that they were responsible.
More than 620,000 Afghans have been forcibly repatriated to their home country so far.
The government also says Afghans are involved in smuggling, militant violence and other crimes.
Cash-strapped Pakistan, dealing with record inflation and a tough bailout program by the International Monetary Fund last year, also said illegal immigration has been a drain on the country’s resources for decades.
