Pakistan ordered all unauthorised Afghan asylum seekers - an estimated 1.7 million people to leave

[bronxiteforever]

BBC News
October 4, 2023
By Frances Mao

Pakistan has ordered all unauthorised Afghan asylum seekers - an estimated 1.7 million people - to leave the country by November. A spike in attacks along the two countries' border, which Islamabad blames on Afghanistan-based operatives, has escalated tensions this year.
It has also fuelled resentment in Islamabad, which on Tuesday announced a crackdown on "illegal" migrants. The Taliban government urged Pakistan to rethink its "unacceptable" move

…About 1.3 million Afghans are registered as refugees while another 880,000 have received the legal status to remain, according to the UN. But another 1.7 million people are in the country "illegally", claimed Mr Bugti (Pakistan’s Interior Minister) on Tuesday - an apparent reference to those who have not yet gained refugee status.

He said those people would have to leave the country by the end of the month - whether voluntarily or through a forced deportation.

"If they do not go... then all the law enforcement agencies in the provinces or federal government will be utilised to deport them," he said according to state media reports…He also announced a taskforce aimed at identifying and confiscating private businesses and assets of "illegal" Afghans in the country.

More here

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-67002834

[getagrip_already]

1. This is tricky sad for many.....

Many arrived legally awaiting visas in other countries, but due to delays, they ended up overstaying their temporary visas. Renewing them is not an easy process, and I think I heard you have to go back to Afghanistan to do it which is kind of dangerous for many.

So it sucks all around.