KARACHI, Pakistan — Taliban-run consulate in Karachi said on Saturday that 29 Afghan migrants detained by Pakistani police have been released.
In a statement, the consulate said the migrants were arrested on Friday by Pakistani security forces at a checkpoint while entering Karachi. Although the individuals possessed migration cards, they were initially held at a police station and faced potential imprisonment before being released.
The Taliban also reported that six other Afghan migrants had recently been detained in Karachi but were similarly freed from custody before being sent to prison.
The incident comes amid Pakistan’s intensified crackdown on Afghan migrants, including arrests, imprisonment, and forced deportations—a policy that has drawn criticism from human rights organizations and migrant advocacy groups.
On Friday, Amnesty International urged Pakistan to immediately release detained Afghan migrants, condemning the country’s treatment of refugees. Many Afghan migrants in both Pakistan and Iran have also voiced concerns over what they describe as harsh and improper treatment by local authorities.
Both Pakistan and Iran have ramped up deportations of Afghan migrants in recent months, further straining regional relations and raising humanitarian concerns.
