On Wednesday, Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai, the political deputy foreign minister of the Taliban administration, issued a plea to both Islamabad and Tehran, urging them to halt the deportation of Afghan refugees.
During the inauguration of the second phase of the Qosh Tepa Canal project, Stanikzai expressed concerns that Pakistan is employing economic and political pressure tactics on the current administration through the deportation of Afghan migrants.
His remarks shed light on the belief that the deportation of Afghan migrants from Pakistan is perceived as a means for Pakistan to exert economic and political leverage on the interim government of Afghanistan.
Stanikzai also noted that despite these challenges, the Taliban caretaker administration is actively expanding its political relations with foreign countries, with plans to establish ties with many countries shortly.
Simultaneously, Pakistan’s special representative for Afghanistan, Asif Ali Durrani, clarified during the 74th meeting of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Executive Committee that Pakistan’s deportations are not exclusive to illegal Afghans but encompass all illegal immigrants.
Durrani acknowledged Pakistan’s historical role in hosting millions of Afghan refugees and expressed gratitude for the UNHCR’s support.
“The order of deportation of migrants taken by our government is for those migrants who have entered the country illegally or whose visas have expired because Pakistan has hosted immigrants for four decades, and the international community has not helped them. The country has faced many economic problems and is still facing insecurity,” Durrani said.
