Pakistan helps 25,000 Afghans relocate to U.S. in spite of crackdown

Pakistan will facilitate the resettlement of 25,000 Afghans who worked for the U.S. during its war in Afghanistan to the United States, Prime Minister Anwaar Kakar, said.

Kakar said at a news conference in Islamabad on Wednesday that the Pakistan Government would also facilitate the relocation of those who fled their country after the Taliban takeover in spite of the current crackdown.

He added that his country would continue the expulsion of around 1.7 million undocumented Afghan refugees in spite of the global outcry.

“We will facilitate the resettlement of vulnerable Afghans.

“We are in touch with the Western nations and a mechanism is being worked out.”

The assurance came amid concerns about the safety of those Afghans who worked with the international forces during the war against al-Qaeda between 2001 and 2021.

These happened after Pakistan launched a crackdown against illegal refugees this month.

The visas of around 25,000 Afghans in Pakistan, who had waited to relocate to the U.S. for more than two years, have expired and there were fears Islamabad might deport them.

The U.S. and other Western diplomats in Islamabad have urged Pakistan not to deport vulnerable Afghans in spite of the expiry of their visas, according to officials.

Around 250,000 undocumented Afghans have left Pakistan since Islamabad announced a deadline for their stay last month, Kakar said and vowed to continue the policy.

Islamabad began the expulsion to pile up pressure on the Taliban rulers, whom it blamed for being lenient on Islamist militants allegedly behind deadly cross-border attacks.

As many as 2,267 Pakistanis have been killed in the rising terrorist attacks since the takeover of the Taliban in Afghanistan, Kakar said.