Kabul: More than 12,000 Afghan refugees were forcibly repatriated from Iran and Pakistan on Sunday, a top Taliban official revealed on Monday.
While sharing the High Commission for Addressing Migrants’ Issues report on X, Taliban Deputy Spokesperson Hamdullah Fitrat revealed that 2194 families, comprising 12,666 people, returned home on Sunday, Afghanistan-based Pajhwok Afghan News reported.
He said that the Afghan returnees returned to the country through Pul-i-Abresham in Nimroz, Spin Boldak in Kandahar, Bahramcha in Helmand, Islam Qala crossing in Herat and the Torkham crossing in Nangarhar.
Fitrat noted that 1609 Afghan refugee families, comprising 10,533 people, have been taken to their home areas while 1966 others were provided humanitarian assistance. He further stated that telecommunication companies provided 1665 SIM cards to Afghan refugees.
As many as 12,455 Afghan refugees also returned to Afghanistan after being forcibly deported from Iran and Pakistan on Saturday.
Earlier in October, Afghan refugees voiced concerns over escalating challenges and growing fear amid the ongoing crackdown in Pakistan, local media reported.
They alleged that the Pakistani police have made announcements in some mosques warning that anyone assisting the refugees, including by renting homes or shops in Pakistan, would be considered a criminal by the government.
“A large number of Afghan refugees, including children, women, and the elderly, have been held in Pakistani detention centres for over 15 days, living in extremely harsh conditions,” Afghanistan’s leading media outlet TOLO News quoted Atiqullah Mansoor, an Afghan refugee in Pakistan, as saying.
Meanwhile, several other refugees stated that Pakistani government along with demolishing shelters have stepped up arrests and forced deportations. They urged the Pakistani government to suspend the demolition of their homes and allow them to stay in Pakistan, at least through the winter.
“Winter has already started. Many of the remaining homes of Afghan refugees here have been demolished. We urge the Pakistani government to stop destroying the rest of the homes, because otherwise, refugees will be left without shelter and with nowhere to go. On top of that, the government has warned locals not to rent homes to Afghan refugees, or they will face legal consequences,” said another Afghan refugee in Pakistan.
(IANS)
