The Afghan Embassy in Islamabad has criticised the Pakistan government for its "persecution" of Afghans in the country, as the Pakistani government announced a sweeping crackdown on undocumented foreigners in the country.
The embassy accused Pakistani authorities of "arresting and harassing" Afghan refugees, according to an official statement. It added that nearly 1,000 Afghans have already been rounded up and arrested in the past two weeks.
The embassy accused Pakistani authorities of "arresting and harassing" Afghan refugees, according to an official statement. It added that nearly 1,000 Afghans have already been rounded up and arrested in the past two weeks.
"The IEA [Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (the Taliban's* name for its government)] Embassy in Islamabad calls on the government of Pakistan to stop the ongoing persecution of Afghan refugees, which has a negative impact on the relationship between the two countries," the Afghan embassy stated, demanding an "immediate end" to the action.
The strongly worded statement from the interim Afghan authorities came hours after Pakistan's interior minister, Sarfraz Bugti, announced that all undocumented foreigners must leave the country by 1 November or face deportation, according to local media.
Pakistan has 'Evidence' That Afghans Are Linked to Terror Attacks: Minister
Since the Taliban takeover, Islamabad has consistently raised concerns about Kabul's alleged support of Afghanistan-based terrorist groups, particularly Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP)** carrying out attacks in Pakistan. Local media has reported that 14 of the 24 terrorist attacks in Pakistan this year have involved Afghan nationals.
“There are no two opinions that we are attacked from within Afghanistan and Afghan nationals are involved in attacks on us... We have evidence,” Bugti reportedly said.
The minister added that law-enforcement agencies would take up the case of those foreigners who remained in the country after the 1 November deadline.
Although Bugti didn't target Afghan nationals directly, the government action appears to be primarily directed at them, given most of the illegal migrants are Afghan citizens.
Hundreds of thousands of Afghans fled their country to neighbouring Afghanistan during the US-led War on terror as well as after the Taliban return to power in Kabul in August 2021, according to UN estimates cited by domestic media.
*under UN sanctions
**banned terrorist group