Afghan citizens now face deportation after deadline expires

The process of the repatriation of afghan refugees residing illegally in Pakistan will begin today (Tuesday) as the March 31 deadline for the voluntary return has ended.

Sources affiliated with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Department home department said that the Afghan refugees will be sent back to Afghanistan starting today (April 1).

The federal government had last week decided against any extension to the deadline despite requests from the Taliban government.

The government had also sought the record of Afghan students in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa from the provincial government by March 27 for updating the Foreign National Security Cell's dashboard related to foreign nationals and needed the data of Afghan students.

The policy to expel illegal immigrants comes as part of efforts being made to improve the security situation amid increasing terrorist attacks in the country — which Islamabad has time again blamed on terrorist groups operating from the Afghan territory.

So far, as many as 878,972 Afghans living in Pakistan illegally have returned to their country, reported Radio Pakistan today.

Meanwhile, human rights watchdog Amnesty International has urged Pakistan to withdraw its "opaque" Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan regarding the expulsion of illegal immigrants and Afghan citizens residing in the country.

In a statement, the Amnesty said that Islamabad's March 31 deadline for Afghans would exacerbate their woes.

It is to be noted that Pakistan hosts 2.1 million documented Afghans. There are hundreds of thousands of undocumented Afghan nationals also living in Pakistan for decades.

from Latest Pakistan News - SUCH TV https://ift.tt/FeSg4xD