Pakistan to register all Afghan refugees



Afghan camps in Islamabad
  • 300,000 Afghans, flee to Pakistan after Taliban take over
  • 4.6 million Afghans entered Iran and Pakistan since 2021

Atif Khan

Islamabad: Pakistan to start a fresh registration drive for unregistered Afghan refugees in the country, announced Minister for States and Frontier Regions Talha Mahmood on Tuesday.

Responding to a question, Minister told National assembly that there are 1,282,963 registered Afghan refugees residing in the country. 

How many Afghans have entered Pakistan since 2021

After the Taliban took over last year, over 300,000 Afghans fled the country to save their lives from the wrath of the Taliban.

The US and its coalition partners airlifted 123,000 civilians after August 14, 2021, out of 300,000 Afghans, while the remaining, along with other vulnerable families, migrated to neighbouring Iran and Pakistan. According to IOM, the UN Migration Agency, 4.6 million Afghans entered Iran and Pakistan in 2021. Almost 72 percent went to Pakistan. The international agency records 3.5 million documented movements from Afghanistan to Pakistan in 2021.

Pakistan has registered roughly around half of the Afghan refugees entered the country, since August 2021, when the Taliban took control of the capital, after the abrupt withdrawal of U.S. and NATO forces from Afghanistan.

According to sources, Islamabad police have registered over 50,000 Afghans in the capital since 2001, while Rawalpindi Police have registered 11631. According to a notification from the Ministry of Interior, Afghans are bound to register themselves with the Islamabad police within 7 days of their arrival in the capital, and they have to inform the capital police when they leave the district. Because of the absence of any interconnected mechanism, registering foreign nationals is a challenge.

"Registration is a volunteer process. We only register those who approach us," said an Islamabad police official. He said it is difficult to determine the exact number of Afghan refugees who have entered Pakistan since last year, because some have entered via land routes along the Chaman and Torkham borders and others have entered via air routes. He said those who have been associated with foreign forces, and have money, stayed in Islamabad to apply for the visa for Canada, Australia, the UK, or the USA, while others left for Rawalpindi, Lahore, and Karachi. Some went to their relatives, who had already settled in different parts of the country.

Pakistan Crack down on Afghans

Pakistan's crackdown on Afghans began as the country's law and order situation deteriorated. Public sentiment against Afghans grew, an official claimed. According to an NGO, the Pakistan Institute of Peace Studies (PIPS), Pakistan witnessed a record 51 percent increase in the number of terrorist attacks in a single year after the Afghan Taliban came to power in Afghanistan. 433 people were killed and 719 injured in 250 attacks in Pakistan between August 15, 2021, and August 14, 2022.

Public sentiment against Afghan refugees further intensified, when 
Pakistanis saw Afghans, hurling chairs at Pakistani fans, cursing and abusing them, in Sharjah Cricket Stadium during the Asia Cup match. The live telecast showed Afghans fighting Pakistanis outside the stadium following their last-over defeat to Pakistan, which knocked them out of the tournament. 

Officials believe Police crackdowns on illegal Afghans intensified after the recent border skirmish at the Friendship Gate on the Chaman border, which connects the Baluchistan province to the southern Kandahar province of Afghanistan. An Afghan opened unprovoked fire at Pakistani soldiers, killing a Pakistani security guard and wounding two others.

Burden on resources

The large number of Afghan refugees also had social and economic implications. The wealthy Afghans settled in Islamabad while others opted for Rawalpindi low income group areas, including areas near IJP Road, New Katarian, Pirwadhai, Fauji Colony, Hazara Colony, Golra, Tarnol, Fateh Jhang Road, Taxila, and Wah Cantonment. Rich Afghans who had made fortunes while working for allied forces spent large sums of money to gain housing and other facilities in Islamabad, which jacked up rental rates in the twin cities. There is very little affordable property left for locals because of the high demand by Afghans.

In September, the National Assembly Standing Committee on States and Frontier Regions  expressed grave concerns about the illegal inflow of Afghan nationals into Pakistan and their establishment of major businesses in major cities, particularly Karachi and Peshawar, without paying taxes to the Pakistani government.

Never ending Miseries for poor migrants

Afghan cricket fans fighting with Pakistanis in Sharjah or attack on borders are not represent Afghan government or public sentiment. These are individual actions and not the fault of thousands of destitute Afghan, who flee homeland just to save their lives.

After the regime change in Afghanistan, Pakistan government, striving hard against economical and political challenges was not ready to host a large influx of refugees. 

Because of the absence of any planning or strategy from the government or international agencies, thousands of Afghan families are struggling to survive in the new country. Life is hard for less fortunate migrants. Hundreds of them are living in tents under open sky, without access to toilet or any other facilities. 

Pakistanis has been generous towards refugees since decades. Although, many things have been changed during last many years, but kindness has no face, religion, cast or creed. 

A kind word or small donation of money, food, clothes or shelter, from you may save a precious life. 

Post a Comment

0 Comments