Quetta, Pakistan (HRNW) — Pakistan has introduced a significant change in its policy regarding illegal Afghan refugees. Previously, Afghan nationals without a visa or passport were detained and transferred to holding camps and later sent back to Afghanistan via the border.
However, following recent Pakistan-Afghanistan tensions and the expiration of the government’s set deadline, the procedure has been revised. Under the new policy, illegal Afghan refugees are no longer only moved to holding camps; instead, formal legal cases are being registered against them, and they are being transferred to police stations or prisons.
Sources indicate that some Afghan nationals succeed in obtaining bail from the courts, but a large number of applications are being rejected. In this context, the Peshawar High Court issued a key ruling, canceling bail for Afghan detainees under the Foreigners Act and ordering their transfer to prisons.
The court also stated that once the Pakistan-Afghanistan border reopens, relevant authorities must immediately inform the court so that the process of returning detained Afghan nationals to Afghanistan in accordance with the law can proceed.
This policy change has made conditions more challenging for Afghan refugees who have not voluntarily returned, and these difficulties are expected to increase further in the future.
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