The recent deadline for Afghan refugees to leave Pakistan has sparked fears among families of separation and vulnerability. As the government deports thousands, uncertainty looms over their safety upon return to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan.
Families Torn Apart as Pakistan Enforces Afghan Deportations
Families Torn Apart as Pakistan Enforces Afghan Deportations
Thousands of undocumented Afghan refugees, including those with Pakistani families, are facing expulsion from Pakistan under new government regulations, raising concerns about their safety and future.
In Karachi, a vibrant port city of Pakistan, Fatima Bibi lies awake each night, tormented by the sound of police sirens echoing in her neighborhood. Her worries stem from her husband, Sher Zada, who is an undocumented Afghan refugee. After his family fled conflict-ridden Afghanistan in 1992, Pakistan has been the only home he has known. Despite years of hope that their marriage could lead to legal residency or citizenship, the government has now taken a harsh stance, declaring it’s time for undocumented Afghans to leave.
March 31 marked the end of a government deadline requiring many Afghans to seek refuge elsewhere. With less than a month since the deadline, Talal Chaudhry, the Pakistani minister of state for the interior, reported over 80,000 Afghans had already been deported. This surge in deportations raises serious concerns about the fate of these individuals, especially given the treacherous conditions they may face under Taliban control in Afghanistan.
For families like the Bibis, the prospect of separation looms large. “What will happen to my children and me if Zada is taken away?” Fatima fears. Families face the heartbreaking dilemma of having loved ones repatriated while risking their own safety and well-being.
The ongoing deportation campaign coincides with heightened tensions between Pakistan and India, exacerbating the dire situation for already vulnerable families. Following a recent terrorist attack in Kashmir attributed to Pakistani nationals by India, Pakistan responded by revoking most Indian citizens’ visas, escalating an ongoing regional conflict.
As the humanitarian crisis unfolds, many are left uncertain about their future in a rapidly changing geopolitical landscape.
