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Afghan embassy in Islamabad slams Pakistan for forced deportation of Afghans
This week the International Organization for Migration (IOM) stated that over 18,000 Afghan migrants returned to Afghanistan from Islamabad and Rawalpindi last month.
Afghanistan’s embassy in Islamabad said on Wednesday that Afghan nationals in Islamabad and Rawalpindi have recently been subjected to arrests, searches, and orders from the police to leave the twin cities and relocate to other parts of Pakistan.
According to a statement issued by the embassy, this process of detaining Afghans, which began without any formal announcement, has not been officially communicated to the Embassy of Afghanistan in Islamabad through any formal correspondence.
“In response, the Embassy has held multiple meetings with relevant Pakistani authorities and officials to seek clarification on the matter — whether these actions are isolated incidents that need to be stopped or part of an official policy that should be publicly disclosed,” the statement read.
The statement noted that discussions with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) revealed that they were unaware of the ongoing situation.
However, Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has now confirmed that there is “a definitive and final plan to deport/remove all Afghan refugees not only from Islamabad and Rawalpindi but also from the entire country in the near future,” the embassy stated.
Pakistan officials told Afghanistan’s embassy officials that this decision was official and only Afghans who are in possession of valid, legal, visas will be allowed to reside in Islamabad and Rawalpindi.
The embassy went on to state that Pakistan has decided to remove all Afghan refugees, including those holding ACC (Afghan Citizen Card) and PoR (Proof of Registration) cards, from Islamabad and Rawalpindi, and that their expulsion from the country is imminent.
Embassy officials have meanwhile expressed serious concerns in meetings with Pakistani authorities and international organizations regarding the mass expulsion of Afghan refugees within such a short timeframe and the unilateral nature of Pakistan’s decision.
The Embassy has shared this matter with Kabul to facilitate discussions on the dignified repatriation of Afghan nationals and to assess the existing challenges surrounding this issue.
This week the International Organization for Migration (IOM) stated that over 18,000 Afghan migrants returned to Afghanistan from Islamabad and Rawalpindi last month.
According to the organization, 9,846 Afghan returnees were identified through border crossing points of Torkham, Chaman, Ghulam Khan, Badini, and Bahramcha.
Since September 15, 2023, at least 824,568 individuals have returned to Afghanistan while two percent (18,577) of this total has returned since January 2025, the IOM said.
According to the report, the fear of arrest (78 percent) and inability to pay house rent (34 percent) are the most common reasons for the return cited among the heads of households returning to Afghanistan.
The IOM also stated that both the fear of arrest and communal pressure to return increased in the past two weeks.
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Turkish ministers to visit Pakistan amid fragile truce with Afghanistan: Erdogan
The visit aims to help secure a lasting truce and promote peace between Islamabad and Kabul.
A high-level Turkish delegation comprising the foreign and defense ministers as well as the intelligence chief will travel to Pakistan this week to discuss ongoing efforts toward a ceasefire between Pakistan and Afghanistan, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced on Sunday.
According to an official readout of Erdogan’s remarks made aboard his return flight from Baku — where he met with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif — the visit aims to help secure a lasting truce and promote peace between Islamabad and Kabul.
Erdogan said Türkiye is “closely following the terrorist attacks in Pakistan and the tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan,” expressing hope that the talks mediated by Ankara would lead to “lasting stability” in the region.
He added that Türkiye and Pakistan are also seeking to deepen cooperation in multiple sectors, particularly trade, energy, and defense industries.
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Afghan and Iranian foreign ministers discuss regional issues in phone call
Muttaqi also noted that during the third round of discussions, the Pakistani side had been unwilling to take responsibility for certain issues, which hindered progress and prevented concrete outcomes.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, Amir Khan Muttaqi, held a telephone conversation on Sunday with his Iranian counterpart, Seyed Abbas Araghchi, focusing on bilateral relations and key regional developments.
According to a statement from Afghanistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the two ministers exchanged views on the recent Afghanistan-Pakistan talks in Istanbul, as well as broader efforts to strengthen cooperation and stability in the region.
Araghchi underscored the importance of resolving differences between Kabul and Islamabad through diplomatic dialogue and reiterated Iran’s readiness to assist in facilitating constructive engagement between the two neighboring countries.
In turn, Muttaqi said that the Afghan delegation had taken part in the Istanbul talks under the guidance of the Islamic Emirate’s leadership, with a focus on achieving a peaceful and negotiated settlement to ongoing tensions. He emphasized that Afghanistan remains committed to resolving disputes through diplomacy and mutual understanding.
Muttaqi also noted that during the third round of discussions, the Pakistani side had been unwilling to take responsibility for certain issues, which hindered progress and prevented concrete outcomes.
The conversation highlighted both countries’ shared interest in promoting regional stability and expanding cooperation across political and economic fronts.
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Erdogan meets Sharif, urges Pakistan, Afghanistan to uphold ceasefire
During a meeting with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Baku on Saturday, Erdogan said Türkiye is “closely following the terrorist attacks in Pakistan and the tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan.”
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has emphasized the need to maintain the ceasefire between Pakistan and Afghanistan, according to a statement from Türkiye’s Communications Directorate.
During a meeting with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Baku on Saturday, Erdogan said Türkiye is “closely following the terrorist attacks in Pakistan and the tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan.”
He expressed hope that the talks being held under Türkiye’s mediation would lead to lasting stability in the region and affirmed Ankara’s continued support for the process.
Erdogan noted that Türkiye and Pakistan are deepening cooperation across various sectors, including trade, energy, and defense. He also stressed the importance of sustaining the ceasefire in Gaza and called for ongoing engagement through the United Nations framework.
Both leaders were in Baku to attend Azerbaijan’s Victory Day ceremony on November 8, where they observed a military parade marking the occasion.
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