Afghan nationals in Pakistan said they have been fearing for the past three days and avoiding going outdoors due to the violence that erupted in Pakistan following former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s arrest on Tuesday.
Abdul Basit, a migrant living in Pakistan, said the following to Azadi Radio: “Afghan immigrants who are here do not feel safe. They are concerned that they can neither return to their country nor feel safe in Pakistan. One of the countries that take the files and cases of Afghan immigrants, Afghans who are in danger here, we request that their cases be dealt with seriously as soon as possible.”
Following Khan’s arrest on Tuesday, Afghans complained that their internet services had been cut off, and men stated they could not leave their wives and children alone at home.
Abdul Rahman Karimi, another Afghan, spoke to Radio Azadi about his family’s difficulties in Islamabad: “We can’t easily go to the market to buy goods; women are facing many problems. Our children, who used to be able to go to the market with women, for now, they can’t. These problems are increasing every day. On the other hand, the problem of the internet being cut off and social networks not working, including Facebook and WhatsApp, are problems that we immigrants in Pakistan face.”
Since the arrest of former Premier Imran Khan on Tuesday, Khan’s supporters came to the street and launched violent protests and clashes with the police.
Since then, more than ten people have been killed, and at least 300 people have been injured as the clashes continue across the country.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court ordered Thursday evening that the former Pakistani Premier Imran Khan be released immediately and declared his arrest illegal.
Still unclear when he would be allowed to go home.
