Pakistan Begins Arresting Afghan Refugees in Quetta

According to local sources in Pakistan, the process of arresting Afghan refugees in various areas of Quetta city has commenced by Pakistani police. These actions began on Tuesday, October 14, and targeted residents are mainly being detained in their homes.

Sources have confirmed that Pakistani police have so far arrested several Afghan refugees from the Uzbek Bazaar, Pashtun Bagh, and Hazara Town areas in Quetta. Further details regarding the exact number of detainees have not been released by Pakistani authorities or human rights organizations.

This new action by Pakistani police comes amid increased pressures on Afghan migrants in the country since the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan in August 2021. Some Afghan migrants reside in Pakistan without legal documentation, but many have also been forced to leave Afghanistan due to security threats under Taliban rule.

The Taliban administration’s silence in response to recent crackdowns on Afghan refugees in neighboring countries raises serious questions about the group’s inaction in defending the rights of Afghan citizens abroad. The continuation of this process could further worsen the already critical situation faced by migrants in Pakistan.