KABUL/ISLAMABAD: Afghan Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid on Wednesday mentioned Pakistan’s choice to expel undocumented Afghan nationals was “unacceptable” and urged authorities to revisit the coverage.

The assertion comes a day after the caretaker authorities gave an ultimatum to all undocumented immigrants, together with Afghan nationals, to depart Pakistan by October 31, or threat imprisonment and deportation to their respective nations.

The choice was taken in an apex committee assembly headed by Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar and attended by the military chief, amongst others. The committee additionally determined that motion throughout the border could be topic to passports and visas, whereas digital Afghan id playing cards (or e-tazkiras) would solely be accepted till Oct 31.

After the passage of the deadline, the authorities would kickstart an operation concentrating on unlawful properties and companies owned by immigrants or these being run in collaboration with Pakistani nationals.

In an announcement posted on social media platform X (erstwhile Twitter) in each Urdu and English immediately, Mujahid mentioned the therapy of Afghan refugees in Pakistan was unacceptable and authorities ought to revise their coverage on this regard.

The conduct of Pakistan towards Afghan refugees is unacceptable. The Pakistani aspect ought to rethink its plan. Afghan refugees aren’t concerned in Pakistan’s safety issues. So long as they go away Pakistan voluntarily, that nation ought to tolerate them.

— Zabihullah (..ذبـــــیح الله م ) (@Zabehulah_M33) October 4, 2023

“Afghan refugees aren’t concerned in Pakistan’s safety issues,” he said, including that so long as they go away Pakistan voluntarily, “that nation ought to tolerate them”.

The Pakistani Overseas Workplace has but to challenge an announcement on this matter.

Round 1.3 million Afghans are registered refugees in Pakistan and 880,000 extra have authorized standing to stay, in keeping with the most recent United Nations figures. Nevertheless, the federal government claims {that a} additional 1.7 million Afghans are in Pakistan illegally.

Along with the Afghan spokesperson’s criticism, the coverage announcement has triggered issues from a number of quarters.

In a publish on X immediately, former PPP senator Farhatullah Babar mentioned the federal government was “as soon as once more taking part in soccer with refugees” and “manipulating for another targets”.

“Doomed to finish in a backlash. Tripartite settlement permits solely voluntary repatriation,” he added.

As soon as once more taking part in soccer with refugess. As soon as once more manipulating for another targets. As soon as once more indignant knee jerk response. Doomed to finish in a backlash. Tripartite settlement permits solely voluntary repatriation https://t.co/mQaAWo2IFU

— Farhatullah Babar (@FarhatullahB) October 4, 2023

A day earlier, the Afgha­nistan Embassy in Islamabad accused Punjab and Sindh police of conducting a “ruthless” operation towards Afghan refugees, with out distinguishing between genders and even arresting girls and kids.

In an announcement posted on X on Tuesday, Afghanistan’s embassy mentioned greater than 1,000 Afghans have been detained previously two weeks — half of them regardless of having a authorized proper to be in Pakistan.

Furthermore, Amnesty Interna­t­ional additionally known as out the Pakistani authorities for creating an area of ‘concern’ for refugees.

A United Nations official additionally opposed the deadline. “Any refugee return have to be voluntary and with none stress to make sure safety for these looking for protected­­ty,” Qaisar Khan Afridi, an official of the UN Excessive Commis­sioner for Refugees (UNHCR) instructed Anadolu Company.

He mentioned that the UNHCR was ready to help Pakistan in establishing a system for overseeing and recording people looking for worldwide safety inside its borders and addressing “particular vulnerabilities”.

The Human Rights Fee of Pakistan (HRCP) mentioned the choice to evict overseas nations, which it mentioned was allegedly as a result of that they had hyperlinks to terrorist and prison teams, mirrored “not solely an absence of compassion but additionally a myopic and slim view of nationwide safety”.

“The big majority of such individuals are susceptible Afghan refugees and stateless individuals for whom Pakistan has been residence for a number of generations,” it mentioned, including that it was “unfair” to carry all accountable for the errors of some.

The HRCP additional said that the choice contravened worldwide human rights regulation and demanded or not it’s reversed instantly.

The federal government’s choice to evict over a million ‘unlawful’ overseas residents inside 30 days – allegedly as a result of they’ve hyperlinks to terrorist and prison teams – displays not solely an absence of compassion but additionally a myopic and slim view of nationwide safety. The big…

— Human Rights Fee of Pakistan (@HRCP87) October 4, 2023

The discourse comes amid the state’s crackdown on Afghan refugees.

September has seen an alarming rise within the rounding up and detention of Afghan refugees. The federal government cites unlawful immigration and rising crime as the explanations behind the crackdown.

Police and politicians have mentioned a current round-up targets solely these with out authorized standing and is in response to rising crime and poor regulation of immigration that’s straining sources. In the meantime, Afghans say the arrests have been indiscriminate.