Forcible Return of Afghans from Pakistan Sparks Complaints Over Police Treatment and Lack of Facilities
A number of Afghans recently forcibly expelled from Pakistan have reported that Pakistan police treated them poorly during arrest and transfer. Many were forced to return to Afghanistan without their belongings. According to these returnees, the situation did not allow them the opportunity to gather their personal items and economic assets.
These individuals are calling on the Taliban administration and Pakistani authorities to seek a sustainable solution to the status of Afghan migrants in Pakistan through dialogue and mutual understanding. They emphasize that the absence of a clear and humane framework has imposed heavy economic and psychological pressures on the families of those returning.
Meanwhile, migrant rights activists warn that aid to returnees should not be limited to distributing wheat or cash at border areas. Abdul Razzaq Adil, one such activist, stated that sustainable integration of returnees into Afghan society is critically important, and that the Taliban administration, in coordination with aid organizations, should develop practical programs to transform these individuals from mere consumers into productive contributors.
According to activists, the lack of specific plans for employment, education, and livelihood increases the risk of rising unemployment and poverty among returnees; a responsibility they directly attribute to the Taliban administration. They argue that the response to this crisis should not be temporary or superficial.
Earlier, some Afghan migrants residing in Pakistan had also requested a three-month deadline to prepare for their return to the country; a request that has yet to receive a clear and practical response from the responsible parties.
