Taliban govt appeals Pakistan to give illegal Afghans more time to leave country

The Taliban government in Afghanistan has made an appeal to Pakistan, urging them to grant more time for undocumented Afghans residing in Pakistan to leave the country, according to media reports.

This request comes in the midst of mounting pressure at border posts, as thousands of Afghan returnees flee the looming threat of deportation.

The Pakistani government had issued a directive, giving approximately 1.7 million undocumented Afghans living in the country until November 1 (today) to depart voluntarily or face forced removal.

Since this order was issued at the beginning of October, over 130,000 individuals have left Pakistan, as reported by border officials in the towns of Torkham and Chaman.

This influx of people has resulted in significant congestion on both sides of the border crossings.

In a formal statement, the Taliban authorities expressed gratitude to Pakistan and other nations that have hosted millions of Afghan refugees who have fled their homeland during the decades of conflict.

However, they appealed to these nations not to execute hasty, forced deportations of Afghans but to allow them more time to make necessary preparations.

Since assuming power in August 2021, the Taliban government has encouraged Afghan nationals to return to their home country. Nonetheless, they have criticized Pakistan’s actions, asserting that their citizens are being penalized for the tensions between Islamabad and Kabul.

The Taliban has called for a more lenient approach, allowing people additional time to leave.

On Wednesday, hundreds of thousands of Afghans living in Pakistan faced the imminent threat of detention and deportation, as the government’s deadline for their departure triggered a mass exodus.

The government’s directive applied to the 1.7 million Afghans living in Pakistan without legal documentation, with the deadline set for November 1.

In response, a lengthy queue of individuals, stretching over seven kilometers, formed at the busiest border point. At least 29,000 people had crossed into Afghanistan the day before.

Pakistan state media announced the opening of 49 holding centers across the country on Wednesday, some with the capacity to accommodate several thousand individuals. These centers were established for the processing and repatriation of Afghan nationals.