No end to cruelty: Pakistani celebrities rally against mass deportation of Afghan refugees

Stars took to their social media to share their takes

The mass expulsion of Afghan refugees from Pakistan has garnered significant attention in recent weeks, with human rights groups and prominent individuals expressing their concerns over the treatment of these displaced individuals. 

Celebrities are also speaking out about the same. Iffat Umar took to her Instagram Story to share an image of an Afghan child leaving the country, penning alongside, "This is also really heartbreaking." Comedian Faiza Saleem took to her IG Story to write, "There's no end to cruelty."

Moreover, Armeena Khan took to X to pen a note regarding the same. "It would be criminal of me not to talk about 1.7 million Afghans who are being displaced from Pakistan, their homes being bulldozed," said the star on the site formerly known as Twitter. "This is absolutely vile! How can we treat them this way? I cannot talk about Gaza without talking about the plight of the Afghans. This is so sad!" The star also reposted an older tweet of hers that stated, "You either stand against injustice, genocide and displacement or you don’t! If you are selective then you are no better than the oppressors. Thank you."

It would be CRIMINAL of me not to talk about 1.7 million Afghans who are being displaced from Pakistan, their homes being bull dozed. This is absolutely vile! How can we treat them this way? I cannot talk about Gaza without talking about the plight of the Afghans. This is so sad…

— Armeena ✨ (@ArmeenaRK) November 2, 2023

You either stand against injustice, genocide and displacement or you don’t! If you are selective then you are no better than the oppressors. Thank you.

— Armeena ✨ (@ArmeenaRK) November 2, 2023

In addition to this, she shared Osman Khalid Butt's post, wherein the actor asked the question, "Why don’t the Afghan refugees show more gratitude?" He answered the same with screenshots from an article that highlighted the sheer number of Afghan immigrants living in Pakistan and how they are denied claims to citizenship despite the country offering "unconditional birthright citizenship." 

‘Why don’t the Afghan refugees show more gratitude?’
Ans. pic.twitter.com/a0MAjyuc9e

— Osman Khalid Butt 🇵🇸 (@aClockworkObi) November 2, 2023

Previously, Sanam Saeed, a prominent actor, joined the chorus of voices advocating for compassion and mercy toward these refugees. On November 1, 2023, the deadline for all "illegal aliens" to leave Pakistan, she took to X to share her thoughts, urging the government to reconsider its stance.

In her post, Sanam pointed out that forcibly removing those seeking shelter will not address Pakistan's fundamental issues. She noted that this action might seem like an attempt to shift blame from the challenges the government and the country are facing. Furthermore, she emphasised the importance of displaying more mercy during these trying times in the world. Her post underscored a critical aspect of the debate surrounding the Afghan refugee crisis in Pakistan.

“Deporting refugees who seek shelter here will not make our fundamental issues go away. It looks like we are deflecting blame from challenges that the government or the country overall is facing. At a time like this in the world right now, we need to show more mercy,” she shared on the microblogging site with a tag addressing the government of Pakistan.

Deporting refugees who seek shelter here will not make our fundamental issues go away. It looks like we are deflecting blame from challenges that the govt or the country overall is facing. At a time like this in the world right now, we need to show more mercy. @GovtofPakistan

— Sanam Saeed (@sanammodysaeed) November 1, 2023

As the New York Times reported, the Pakistani government issued a deportation order, largely targeting Afghan migrants, which resulted in the expulsion of over 70,000 undocumented Afghans in the weeks leading up to November 1. The deportation order has put immense pressure on the estimated 1.7 million Afghans living illegally in Pakistan. Landlords have evicted Afghan tenants to avoid fines, and employers have terminated undocumented Afghan workers. The police have conducted raids in Afghan-populated neighbourhoods, arresting those without proper documentation.

Human rights groups have condemned Pakistan's actions, expressing concern that some Afghans could face persecution in Afghanistan due to their past ties to Taliban opponents. Despite the criticism, Pakistani officials have remained steadfast in their policy, establishing deportation centres nationwide to detain and repatriate Afghan refugees.

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