An Afghan refugee man loads a truck with his belongings, as he along with others is returning home, after Pakistan gives the last warning to undocumented immigrants to leave, outside the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees repatriation centres in Azakhel town in Nowshera, Pakistan October 30, 2023.
Credit: Reuters Photo
Washington: The United States, the United Nations and the international community have urged by an Indian diaspora body to condemn and halt deportation of over a million Afghans from Pakistan, and appealed to the IMF to stop its financial aid to Islamabad.
Condemning Pakistan’s decision in this regard, the Foundation for India and Indian Diaspora Studies (FIIDS) said this is illegal and the international norms.
"The Islamic Republic of Pakistan's planned forced deportation of Afghan refugees, who had fled under duress from the brutal Taliban rule, is not only illegal under international law but could also trigger a massive humanitarian crisis," said Khanderao Kand, chief of policy and strategy at FIIDS.
"It was always known since the times of Osama Bin Laden that Pakistan worked very closely with the Taliban as it's proxy to have a grip over Afghanistan. Now Pakistan seems frustrated at its weakening control over the Taliban,” he said.
FIIDS said that Pak is trying to do the exact things to Afghan refugees that it earlier did to their minority Hindu and Sikh citizens.
“So our discussion with Afghan experts brought us to the conclusion that Pakistan is trying to do the same to its Afghan refugees that it did to it's minority Hindu and Sikh citizens back in 1947, which is to harass and run them away so as to steal all their assets and properties,” he said.
FIIDS also urged the IMF to stop financial aid to cash-strapped Pakistan “We urge the IMF to stop USD 3 billion approved by arrangement in June and the US to stop all military aid as well as any USAID funds to Pakistan, until it stops this deportation. We urge the international community to condemn and do everything necessary to stop this," Kand said.
Hazrat Abobaker Mojadidi, an Afghan spiritual leader, said that the deportation of 1 million Afghan refugees from Pak is highly concerning. "The deportation of over 1 million Afghan refugees from Pakistan is highly concerning. This may cause a wide-scale humanitarian crisis especially given the cold winter ahead. We urge the government of Pakistan to work with international humanitarian organisations to ensure an effective and dignified resettlement process of Afghan refugees and to abstain from using unnecessary force and violence against innocent Afghan civilians,” he said.
FIIDS Analyst Priya Kulkarni observed that social media reported that thousands of Afghans are flocking the border but they are being harassed at the border.
In a statement FIIDS said it is deeply concerned about the humanitarian crisis that will unfold if Pakistan goes ahead with its planned forced deportation of Afghans.
It urged the international community to condemn Pakistan's planned forced deportation of Afghans in the strongest possible terms, stop any financial and military aid declared or being given to Pakistan.