Karachi News: Afghan Deportations Raise Concerns
The deportation of Afghan nationals from Karachi has sparked concerns over fairness and humanity, with wealthy families remaining untouched while low-income individuals are being detained and deported. The government's repatriation drive has seen thousands of Afghans expelled, raising warnings from human rights groups over the risks of endangering vulnerable people.
Authorities in Karachi are deporting low-income Afghan nationals, while wealthy families remain untouched, sparking concerns over the fairness and humanity of the deportation process. Abdul Rehman and Mohammad Khan, relatives of an Afghan family, claim that their poor relatives were detained by police while working daily wage jobs.
The Sindh Police statistics show that around 300 Afghans are being deported from Karachi each week, with the Home Department estimating that around 16,000 Afghan Citizen Card holders reside in Sindh, mostly in Karachi. Human rights lawyer Moniza Kakar notes that most detained Afghans are laborers working in the vegetable market, and the government's directive only applies to those holding the Afghan Citizen Card. However, many Afghans with other valid documents are also being detained and deported.
The repatriation drive has seen nearly 60,000 Afghans expelled since the start of April, with over 1.3 million Afghans holding Proof of Registration cards from the UNHCR also ordered to leave Islamabad and Rawalpindi. The government has linked the crackdown to rising security threats and criminal activity, but human rights groups warn that mass expulsions risk endangering vulnerable people, particularly women and children, who may face insecurity or persecution upon return.
The government's decision to take strict action against individuals renting properties to illegal foreigners, including Afghan refugees, has raised concerns over the impact on the affected communities. A high-level delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar is set to visit Afghanistan to discuss repatriation, and the government is coordinating with the Afghan interim government on the repatriation process.