Hundreds of undocumented Afghan refugees including women and children have been kept in detention in Karachi city of Pakistan for the past two months.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) has confirmed that nearly 300 undocumented Afghan refugees have been detained by Pakistani police.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), the officials of Afghanistan embassy in Islamabad are in talks with Pakistani officials over the release of around 300 Afghans detained by Pakistani police for not having legal documents.
“Some of the 300 undocumented Afghan refugees detained recently have been now freed and the decision to release others will be taken in the future. I can say that there are some individuals who are taking advantage of this issue and collect money under the title of helping these detainees,” said Zia Ahmad Takal, a spokesman of the ministry of foreign affairs.
Based on reports, there are three types of Afghan refugees living in Pakistan. The number of those having legal documents for living in the country has reach to 1.3 million.
The number of those having identification cards has reached to 800,000, while the number of undocumented Afghan refugees has reached to nearly 1 million.
Currently, Afghan refugees are facing with various challenges and problems in Pakistan and other neighboring countries.
Afghan refugees mostly undocumented Afghans are deported to Afghanistan. In recent months, a large number of Afghan refugees have been deported from Turkey, Iran, Tajikistan and Pakistan.
Immigration is considered as one of the legal rights of human beings and anyone can migrate to any part of the countries of the world but with special criteria and according to international conventions. Countries do not have the right to expel immigrants by force.
Afghanistan has topped in migration of its citizens to foreign countries. The phenomenon of migration has imposed heavy human and economic losses on the people of Afghanistan.
Currently, more than three million of Afghan refugees are living in Pakistan.
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Pakistan has said that it can help the undocumented Afghan refugees in case they face with any problems in the host country.
It’s worth mentioning that the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is considered as the only international organization operating to support refugees and asylum seekers in the world.
The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) is working with UNHCR and Pakistani government to find ways for solution of problems and challenges facing the Afghan refugees in Pakistan.
Zarabi