Afghan refugees deported by Pakistan struggling in cold weather

World Tuesday 14/November/2023 08:39 AM
By: ANI
Afghan refugees deported by Pakistan struggling in cold weather
Representative image

Kabul: The Afghan refugees who were deported from Pakistan following Islamabad's deadline, are struggling with cold weather amid dire conditions, Tolo News reported.

The deportees said that they were forced to leave everything behind in Pakistan and are now facing dire conditions.

Pari Gul, 80, was living in Pakistan for 40 years.

"We have spent 40 years in Pakistan. We have done farming. They have forcefully deported us. If they give us anything, we will be happy. We don't have a house and land," she said.

Last month, Pakistan announced it would expel over 1.73 million undocumented Afghan refugees after November 1.

The deportees meanwhile voiced concerns about their situation as the weather is getting cold in many areas of Afghanistan.

"We cannot do farming and we don't have any house. We want the Taliban to help us," Tolo News quoted a deportee named Zahir.

The interim Afghan government prepared a terminal in Kabul's Sarai Shamali area as a camp for the deportees. The camp has more than 50 tents and it has the capacity to hold 500 people.

"This is an emergency process. They will be staying for one or two nights in the terminal. We provide them with all facilities," said Kabir Khil, head of the terminal.

The spokesman for the Kabul security department, Khalid Zadran, said that they have taken the preparation to help the Afghans being deported from Pakistan, Tolo News reported.

Meanwhile, Pakistan's decision to deport undocumented Afghan refugees, has faced strong reactions from the international community.

In addition, on November 3, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa authorities estimated that approximately 1,60,638 illegal Afghans had been deported to Afghanistan. This includes 44,718 men, 33,699 women, and 82,221 children.

Meanwhile, another 12,689 people returned to Afghanistan through the Torkham border. These statistics shed light on the scale of the deportation and the challenges it poses for both Afghanistan and Pakistan.

According to Khaama Press, mass deportation of Afghan nationals has a profound impact on Afghan society, as it disrupts the lives of thousands of individuals and families who are suddenly uprooted and forced to return to Afghanistan.

The Afghan government faces the daunting task of reintegrating these individuals into society and providing them with essential services.

The Taliban government's complaints about the harassment of its nationals by Pakistan highlight the complexities and challenges surrounding the deportation of Afghan refugees, Khaama Press reported.