Migrant panic as mass expulsions continue amid government vow to deport 3m refugees | World | News
Afghan refugees continue to face deportation from both Pakistan and Iran as tensions between the countries rise. Taliban officials reported that some 3,164 citizens were forced to return to Afghanistan on Monday alone.
The crackdown on Afghan refugees in Pakistan has been triggered by escalating military conflicts, political disillusionment and a deepening economic crisis. Islamabad has deported nearly a million Afghans so far this year, and there are no signs of slowing down in deportations. No one was spared from the indiscriminate oppression that devastated families.
Pakistan has vowed to expel all three million refugees from its neighboring country, regardless of their immigration status or the dangers they may face upon return.
Afghanistan is in the midst of a serious humanitarian crisis, where job opportunities are almost non-existent and affordable housing is scarce.
The mass deportations stem from Islamabad’s frustration with the Taliban government in Kabul. Pakistan, a former supporter and supporter of the Islamist group, has accused its senior officials of financing and harboring militants of the resurgent Pakistani Taliban (TTP).
The TTP has carried out deadly attacks on security forces in Pakistan, including a suicide bombing of its paramilitary headquarters in Peshawar last week.
The deadly terror attack killed three officers and sparked an angry response from Islamabad. The Pakistani army launched airstrikes on major cities and border areas of Afghanistan, reportedly killing 10 people.
Government officials used “national security interests” as an excuse for brutal deportations.
Pakistani armed forces spokesman General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said in an interview: “We have been welcoming and welcoming them with open arms for decades. But a large number of Afghans are involved in criminal activities.”
Authorities called on landlords to evacuate Afghan families and encouraged citizens to report them through the reporting system.
