AFG Consulate General Quetta

Statement by H.E. Sardar Ahmad Shakeeb, Ambassador of Afghanistan in Islamabad, on the ongoing Situation of Afghan Refugees For nearly twenty days, the Torkham and Chaman-Boldak crossing points have remained closed by Pakistan following the recent unrest and incidents. As a result, trade, transit, and the movement of people between the two countries have come to a complete standstill due to which the condition of stranded Afghan refugees has deteriorated severely. On one hand, police have reportedly been instructed to intensify the campaign of arresting and deporting refugees. Public announcements are being made in camps, mosques, and other public areas, urging people to evict Afghans from their homes and shops, provide information about them to the police, and refrain from renting properties to them. According to information received by the Embassy, approximately 10,000 Afghan refugees have so far been arrested and transferred to holding centers. Thousands of others, fearing arrest, have packed their belongings and are sitting in vehicles, unable to move forward because the corssing points are closed. Refugee convoys arriving from various parts of Pakistan—particularly from Punjab Province—have reportedly been stranded along the road from Jamrud to Torkham in nearly 400 large trucks, facing extreme hardship. Among them are children, women, the elderly, and the sick, who, in addition to cold weather, are suffering from lack of shelter, clean water, food, and medicine. Tragically, during the past three to four days, three children and one woman have lost their lives due to the harsh conditions. Many people have approached the Embassy, reporting incidents in areas such as Sialkot, Khushab, and Attock, where returning Afghan refugees were allegedly stopped by police, pulled from their vehicles, and told they would only be released upon payment of money—otherwise, they would be forcibly transferred to holding centers. Refugees have also complained that police in several areas harass them under various pretexts in the expectation of bribes. When refugees are being forcibly expelled while all crossings remain closed, they are naturally compelled to live by the roadside, which raises serious fears of a major humanitarian disaster. In this regard, the Embassy of Afghanistan in Islamabad has officially informed the Government of Pakistan and once again urges that all crossings—Torkham, Boldak, Chaman, Angoor Adda, Ghulam Khan, and other routes—be reopened as soon as possible so that refugees may return to their homeland in an orderly and dignified manner. Alternatively, the deportation process should be temporarily suspended until corssing points are opened. The Embassy also calls on the relevant Pakistani authorities to instruct the management of deportation centers (holding centers) to ensure humane treatment of detained Afghans and to provide them with all necessary facilities and basic needs. Furthermore, we appeal to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and other international organizations to enhance the facilities available at the check-in centers and to extend full cooperation in facilitating the orderly and dignified return of Afghan refugees, so as to prevent the escalation of the ongoing humanitarian crisis. Finally, I express my heartfelt gratitude to the Pakistani brothers who help their refugee brothers, particularly those in Jamrud to Torkham, and Chaman areas who have been generously assisting stranded Afghan refugees—many of whom have opened their homes to them, provided shelter for the sick, and arranged food and other necessities. On behalf of the Government and the people of Afghanistan, I extend sincere thanks to them and pray that Almighty Allah(swt) rewards them abundantly for their compassion and humanity.