137 Afghan Detainees Released From Karachi Prison: Afghan Consulate Karachi

Afghanistan’s Consulate General in Karachi on Saturday said that 137 Afghan nationals have been released and will be extradited to Afghanistan in the coming days.

The Afghan Consulate General in Karachi Tweeted that women and children were among the released detainees. Hundreds of Afghan refugees still remain behind bars in jails across Pakistan, according to local sources.

Since the deterioration of the security situation in Pakistan over the past months, the country’s law enforcement agencies have taken serious actions to deal with foreign nationals illegally (without valid stay permits) residing in Pakistan.

Thousands of Afghan refugees who fled Afghanistan fearing death threats from the Taliban regime due to their engagement with the previous government, now face serious challenges, including imprisonment and forceful deportation to Afghanistan.

Over the past months, hundreds of undocumented Afghan nationals including women and children have been put behind bars in Karachi – which prompted massive criticism within Pakistan and beyond. The United Nations Refugee Agency, Pakistan Human Rights Commission, and rights groups called on the government to treat Afghan citizens with decency.

Since the overthrow of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in August 2021, Pakistan experienced new waves of Afghan refugees, most of whom entered the country without visas through the Spin Boldak crossing point. In Pakistan, Afghan refugees are plagued with critical challenges including harassment, discrimination, unemployment, and worst of all the uncertain future that awaits them amid these difficult times.

In recent months, undocumented Afghan Refugees are being forcefully deported to the country from Iran, Pakistan, and Turkey in a frequent manner. Although UNHCR in those countries insist that ‘seeking asylum is not a crime’, and Afghan refugees should be treated with decency, the host countries pursue their own policies regarding Afghan refugees.

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