RASC News Agency: Afghanistani refugees in Pakistan have issued an urgent appeal to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, calling for an immediate suspension of deportations and a streamlined visa extension process. They warned that the forced expulsion of refugees could severely impact their pending immigration applications and disrupt their resettlement efforts. According to Dawn, a leading Pakistani newspaper, Afghanistani refugees awaiting relocation to the United States sent a formal two-page letter to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on March 24, urging his administration to prevent their forced removal.
Pakistan has set a March 31 deadline for the expulsion of all Afghanistani refugees from Islamabad and Rawalpindi. However, individuals registered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) are permitted to remain until June 30. The letter further requested that the exit permit process be expedited, enabling those approved for relocation to third countries to leave Pakistan without bureaucratic hindrances. Moreover, the refugees warned that Pakistan’s deportation policy could jeopardize the status of individuals who are applicants for Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs), those referred to the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP), and others seeking Humanitarian Parole in the United States.
Dawn’s report highlights that many Afghanistani refugees in Pakistan are in the final stages of their U.S. immigration process, with some awaiting visa approvals or asylum confirmations. The refugees emphasized that their forced repatriation to Afghanistan would violate humanitarian principles and contradict international agreements that Pakistan is obligated to uphold. “We sincerely hope that at the very least, Afghanistani refugees with pending immigration applications will be exempted from detention or forced deportation,” the letter stated.
Additionally, the refugees voiced serious concerns over the complexities and financial burdens associated with visa renewal processes in Pakistan, citing exorbitant fees and prolonged delays as significant challenges in maintaining legal status.
