ISLAMABAD: Following the devastating earthquake in Afghanistan and the request from the UN High Commissioner for Refugees to postpone the forced repatriation of Afghan refugees, the Pakistani government stated on Friday: “We decide who stays.” In recent days, thousands of registered Afghan refugees have been deported from Pakistan to Afghanistan, particularly after last Sunday’s earthquake, which claimed at least 2,200 lives and devastated numerous villages, especially in Kunar. UNHCR Commissioner Filippo Grandi urged Pakistan to delay the plans for the expulsion of undocumented foreigners, emphasizing the need for compassion in light of the recent tragedy. However, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Shafqat Ali Khan, reiterated at a press conference: “Anyone without legal documents must leave. Pakistan is doing this, which is what any other country would do, even in Europe and elsewhere… This is our territory; we decide who stays.” According to the World Health Organization, approximately 270,000 displaced Afghans are currently living in earthquake-affected areas near the border with Pakistan. Meanwhile, Afghan individuals awaiting resettlement in Germany reported police raids, as German authorities have temporarily placed them in shelters for processing their cases. Many of those living in the earthquake-affected villages in eastern Afghanistan are among the over four million Afghans who have been expelled from Iran and Pakistan in recent years. The situation for Afghans in Pakistan varies; some have been given opportunities for work and education, while others were born and raised there. However, many are temporarily residing in Pakistan while awaiting resettlement in Western countries. In 2023, the Pakistani government initiated a widespread campaign against Afghans, citing rising violence and the activities of insurgent groups, labeling them as “terrorists and criminals.”
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