Afghanistan sets up commission to manage possible refugee influx from Pakistan

By Aamir Latif

KARACHI, Pakistan (AA) – Afghanistan has formed a commission to respond to a possible influx of refugees from Pakistan against Islamabad’s deadline to deport illegal immigrants to their native countries, the spokesman for the Taliban government said on Thursday.

To address the problems of the refugees being “forcibly” deported by Pakistan, Afghan interim government's State Minister Maulawi Abdul Salam Hanafi will lead a high-level commission, spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said in a statement posted on X.

The commission comprises 31 members and has been constituted on the directives of the Taliban’s supreme leader, Mullah Hibatullah Akhundzada, the statement added.

Pakistan has set a deadline of Nov. 1 for illegal migrants to leave the country or face forcible expulsion.

The government will seize the properties of the illegal immigrants who have not left the country by Nov. 1, and a special task force will act against illegally constructed properties across the country.

The Taliban administration has set up 12 committees to provide “migrants” with identification, diagnosis, transfer, health services, and temporary accommodation. They also assured that citizens can return to their homeland without fear and live a “dignified life.”

According to the latest UN figures, some 1.3 million Afghans are registered refugees, while another 880,000 have legal status to stay in Pakistan.

Over 60,000 “illegal” Afghan refugees have “voluntarily” returned to their country this month, local media said, citing government sources.