Afghan Immigrants : Pakistan’s caretaker government has set a deadline of November 1 for the estimated 1.73 million Afghan immigrants living within its borders without legal status to either leave voluntarily or face forcible expulsion. This controversial ultimatum comes in the wake of recent security concerns and allegations of Afghan involvement in attacks on Pakistani soil.
“The behavior of Pakistan towards Afghan refugees is unacceptable,” stated Zabihullah Mujahid, the spokesman for the Taliban administration in Kabul, in a post on the social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter). He vehemently rejected Pakistan’s claims that Afghan nationals were responsible for 14 out of 24 suicide bombings in Pakistan this year.
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Pakistan’s Interior Minister, Sarfraz Bugti, alleged Afghan Immigrants and nationals’ involvement in recent acts of violence within Pakistan. Bugti also went a step further, accusing India’s intelligence agency of being involved. These allegations further strain relations between the Taliban and the Pakistan government, which have been deteriorating in recent months, marked by border clashes that temporarily closed the main trade route between the two neighbors.
The crux of the issue lies in the long-standing accusations made by Pakistan that militants use Afghan soil to train fighters and plan attacks within Pakistan. In contrast, the Taliban vehemently denies these accusations, asserting that Pakistan’s security problems are home-grown and not linked to Afghan refugees.
Most of the Afghan immigrants residing in Pakistan have been in the country for years, fleeing conflict and instability in Afghanistan. The ultimatum issued by Pakistan’s caretaker government has placed them in a precarious position, with the looming possibility of forced expulsion from the only home Afghan Immigrants have known for years.
The international community watches closely as this situation unfolds, with humanitarian organizations expressing concerns about the fate of Afghan immigrants caught in the crossfire of geopolitical tensions. As a caretaker government guides Pakistan through a period of uncertainty and instability leading up to expected elections, the military’s increasing influence adds another layer of complexity to an already volatile situation.
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