For decades, Pakistan has been a sanctuary for Afghan refugees, earning international recognition and appreciation for its humanitarian efforts. However, a recent announcement from the interim government has sent shockwaves through the Afghan refugee community, threatening their lives, security, and future.
The interim government’s ultimatum, ordering that all ‘illegal’ immigrants leave Pakistan by October 31 or face imprisonment, has created a climate of fear and uncertainty among Afghan refugees. Though the announcement does not explicitly mention Afghan nationals, it is evident that they are the primary target, given their significant presence in Pakistan.
Three Generations of Afghan Refugees
The Afghan refugee community in Pakistan can be categorized into three main groups. The first wave arrived in the aftermath of the communist revolution in Afghanistan in 1978. Despite their long stay in Pakistan, they lack proper residency permits, national identity cards, or citizenship. Their children and grandchildren, who have been born and raised in Pakistan, consider Pakistan and not Afghanistan their true home.
The second wave came during the Afghan civil war in the 1990s, driven by the conflicts among mujahideen factions, who were initially supported by Western countries and Pakistan against the USSR-backed communists. The civil war was then followed by Taliban’s brutal emirate. Many more refugees arrived during the Taliban’s first rule, which extended until the late 1990s.
The third and most recent wave involves refugees who fled Afghanistan following the return of the Taliban to power in 2021. This group consists of teachers, civil servants, government employees, and ethnic and religious minorities who feared the Taliban’s rule.
Pakistan’s Security Concerns
The announcement of mass deportations comes amid a surge in terrorist attacks in Pakistan. While the government claims some of the terrorists involved in these attacks are Afghan nationals, no substantial evidence has been presented linking Afghan refugees, especially those who have lived in Pakistan for generations, to these attacks. It is, however, true that the Afghan Taliban released thousands of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) fighters and other international terrorists from Afghanistan’s provincial and capital jails who regrouped, resurged and some of them were brought back to Pakistan as a part of a deal during Imran Khan’s regime, which totally failed. The Afghan refugees in Pakistan had nothing to do with any of the above mentioned issues.
With the return of Taliban to power, on the other hand, thousands of madrassa students and Taliban activists in Pakistan have moved to Afghanistan to join the Taliban’s file and ranks, occupy offices abandoned by former government employees and even join Taliban’s newly formed army. Those who have not returned to Afghanistan actually detest the regime and their support for international terrorist groups such as the TTP.
The fingerprints of terrorists and suicide bombers identified as Afghans are not found in NADRA database, which means that they can either be TTP members, who do not go to NADRA offices to give fingerprints or Taliban fighters who simply cross the border. There have also been reports that Taliban fighters whose dreams of committing suicide attacks did not come true after the takeover of the country by Taliban expressed their willingness to commit suicide attacks anywhere. Many have defected from the Afghan Taliban and joined TTP and Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP).
The Voluntary Return
It is important to note that many Afghan refugees did voluntarily return to Afghanistan after the Taliban’s fall in 2001, encouraged by the previous Afghan government and UNHCR repatriation programs. Those who remained in Pakistan deeply integrated into Pakistani society, and did not return despite better opportunities in Afghanistan.
The Problem With Forced Deportation
Forced deportation of Afghan refugees is wrong for several reasons:
- Pakistan, although not a signatory to the Refugee Convention, is bound by international agreements such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This obligates Pakistan to protect the basic human rights of all individuals within its borders.
- The first two categories of Afghan immigrants are well-integrated and deep-rooted into Pakistani society by all definitions. They cannot survive in Afghanistan if forcefully deported, neither emotionally and culturally nor economically. It is immoral and indefensible. Instead, granting them permanent residency after proper vetting is the solution and can address the security concern as well.
- Many refugee families, including women and girls, have access to education in Pakistan. Deporting them to Afghanistan, where education for girls is banned, is not only inhumane but also contradicts Islamic values.
- Refugees, particularly ethnic and religious minorities like the Hazaras, would likely face persecution and violence in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan. Many credible international organizations have reported about human rights abuses, persecution of minority communities, forced evictions, violence against women and girls. Revenge killings and collective punishment of former government employees and their families have been commonplace in Afghanistan since the Taliban’s return.
- Afghan refugees have established businesses across Pakistan, large or small, contributing to the local economy. Mass deportations would disrupt economic stability.
- Forced deportations of about 2 million Afghan refugees will play into the narratives of both the Afghan Taliban and TTP, furthering instability in the region. TTA leaders, including the self-proclaimed defense minister Mullah Yaqob (Mullah Omar’s son) used this opportunity to blame Pakistan for the crisis in order to portray himself as a well-wisher of Afghan refugees. TTP will absolutely incite hatred against the state of Pakistan and will try to cash it in its own favor.
Many refugee families, including women and girls, have access to education in Pakistan. Deporting them to Afghanistan, where education for girls is banned, is not only inhumane but also contradicts Islamic values.
A Constructive Solution
Rather than resorting to populistic announcements, Pakistan should consider a more constructive approach:
- Repatriation should be entirely voluntary, possibly with incentives offered in collaboration with international organizations like the UNHCR.
- Those born and raised in Pakistan should be granted residency and, eventually, citizenship. Because they call Pakistan home and have no emotional connection to Afghanistan.
- Other refugees should be granted the opportunity to apply for temporary or permanent asylum, with individual assessments conducted to ensure their safety and Pakistan’s security concerns.
By adopting a more humane policy towards Afghan refugees, Pakistan can both benefit in the long run and set a positive example for human rights and solidarity. Pakistan’s history of hosting refugees and its role as a compassionate host can continue to shine as a beacon of hope and solidarity, not only in the Islamic world but globally.
The writer is a specialist physician and human rights activist from Quetta currently living in Sweden.
