ADDS DETAILS
By Islamuddin Sajid
ISLAMABAD (AA) - Pakistan on Thursday said nearly 800,000 illegal Afghan nationals returned to their home country in the past one year, after Islamabad launched a repatriation drive last November.
Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mumtaz Zahra Baloch told a weekly press briefing in Islamabad that the Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan still continues to ensure a "successful and smooth return" of illegal Afghan nationals.
"Since November 2023 to October 2024, so far 757,008 undocumented Afghans were sent back to Afghanistan," she said, adding that the figure also includes those who returned voluntarily.
Pakistan started its crackdown on all foreigners illegally staying in the country, citing a rise in militant attacks. Islamabad says anti-Pakistan terrorist groups have been provided sanctuary in Afghanistan, who have stepped up attacks against Pakistani security forces and civilians.
The interim Taliban administration in Afghanistan, however, denies allegation that such attacks are launched from its soil.
Soon after Islamabad announced its plans to deport "illegal Afghans," the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UHHCR) had urged Pakistan to continue its protection of all vulnerable refugees who have sought safety in the South Asian country.
“Afghanistan is going through a severe humanitarian crisis with several human rights challenges, particularly for women and girls,” a joint statement by the UNHCR and the International Organization for Migration had said.
According to UN figures, some 1.3 million Afghans enjoy the status of registered refugees in Pakistan, while another 880,000 have legal status to stay.
UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi visited Pakistan in July and called for efforts towards longer-term solutions for Afghans in Pakistan.
After his visit, Grandi said Islamabad had suspended the repatriation of illegal foreigners, mainly Afghan immigrants but Pakistan contradicted his statement. "No such understanding has been given by Pakistan to the UNHCR including in recent meetings with the high commissioner for refugees," Baloch said at the time.