Mohammad Hassan Akhund, the head of Afghanistan's interim government formed by the Taliban, has appealed to Pakistan to cease the reported mistreatment of Afghan immigrants facing deportation from the Islamic republic.
"The mistreatment of refugees from Afghanistan does not address the issue posed by the presence of illegal immigrants in Pakistan. The treatment meted out to them by Pakistani authorities is causing frustration and opposition in other countries," Dawn quoted Akhund as saying at a meeting in Kabul with a Pakistani delegation led by Fazal-ur-Rehman, the President of the Islamist party Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam.
Akhund emphasized that "The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA, the name of the state used by the Taliban) has no intention to harm Pakistan or any other country and will not allow anyone to use Afghan soil against its neighbors."
Rehman is in Kabul at the official invitation of the Afghan Taliban, who have asked him to mediate in Afghan-Pakistani relations amid heightened tensions. These tensions stem from attacks on Pakistan by Afghan-based militants of the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP, a Pakistani Taliban cell) and the deportation of illegal Afghan immigrants from Pakistani territory.
The TTP enjoys widespread support from Afghanistan, and the country has, thus far, declined to engage with the group based on the pretext that the Pakistani Taliban fought alongside the Taliban against US troops. Additionally, TTP fighters are considered "guests" in Afghanistan, and opposing them is seen as contrary to local traditions.
Since November 1, Pakistan has been forcefully repatriating visa-less and undocumented foreigners to their home countries. This initiative began after the October 31 deadline for the voluntary departure of all illegal immigrants, the majority of whom are Afghan citizens, expired. To date, at least 500,000 refugees have returned to Afghanistan from Pakistan.
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Photo: Farid Ershad/Unsplash
Based on materials from TASS