Afghan refugees stage protest in capital

Say they were promised ‘safe exit’ from Afghanistan to America by US Embassy

ISLAMABAD:

A large number of homeless Afghans staged a protest outside the National Press club where they have been living in tents since the Taliban captured Afghanistan's capital Kabul on August 15 last year.

The protesters claimed that were promised a ‘safe exit’ from Afghanistan to America by the US Embassy. They highlighted that the US withdrawal had led to displacement of thousands of families.

Addressing the protesters, the coordinator of these homeless Afghan protesters, Surraya Bibi, said that “We want to tell the United States, Western countries and the United Nations that it has been one year today, and we are still living under the open sky in scorching heat.”

These refugees have been protesting in Islamabad since the fall of Kabul. They claim that they were promised to be given visas. They couldn’t even head back to Afghanistan as they would be sentenced to death without even a trial.

Pakistan is already facing turmoil and threat of terrorism from the different segments, under such circumstances, Pakistan cannot afford such protests near Red Zone. In a petition filed by Advocate Pir Fida Hussain Hashmi, it was questioned as to why the concerned authorities have not yet taken any action against them, moreover, they were even allowed to be assembled in the green belt near the residential area of ICT, Advocate Hashmi added.

In petition it was argued that the Ministry of Foreign Office and Ministry of Interior were answerable to the court as to under which law were these Afghan refugees were seeking asylum and visa of USA and can this be enforced upon the American Embassy in Pakistan and under what agreement?

Furthermore, it is also a matter of fact that these Afghans are living under poor conditions here, they lack basic sanitation facilities, health facilities, everyday supplies, diseases, unemployment and discrimination too.

It is pertinent to mention that in August 2021, after the complete withdrawal of American forces from Afghanistan, some 400 Afghan families entered Pakistan without any legal documentation or permission.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 14^th, 2022.