The Taliban’s embassy in Pakistan issued a statement on Tuesday confirming the deaths of at least four Afghan citizens who had been detained by Pakistani police in the past two weeks.
The embassy disclosed that Pakistan has apprehended a total of 1,000 Afghan citizens during this period, with 485 of them possessing legal documentation.
According to the statement, some of these individuals have allegedly endured physical abuse while in detention.
Meanwhile, an Islamabad source reported the discovery of the bodies of five Afghan migrants—two found at a hospital and three along a roadside.
As of now, Pakistani authorities have not officially commented on these deaths, but they have acknowledged the arrest of 800 individuals.
Amnesty International has expressed grave concerns regarding the “arbitrary detentions” and the looming threat of deportation faced by Afghan refugees in Pakistan. The organization highlighted that many of these refugees, who fled their homeland due to fear of persecution by the Taliban, are being subjected to a series of arbitrary detentions, arrests, and the imminent prospect of deportation.
Amnesty International emphasized that “Afghan refugees find themselves in an untenable situation, unable to return home or establish permanent residence in Pakistan.” The organization called on the Pakistani government to cease the “arbitrary arrests and harassment of Afghan refugees.”
Recently, Pakistan’s Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) conducted a crackdown on “illegal Afghan residents” in Islamabad, resulting in the arrest of 800 individuals. The operation spanned various areas around the federal capital, including Bhara Kahu, Tarnol, Mehrabadian, Golra, and Shams Colony.
Reports indicate that approximately half of those detained were released after their legal residency status in Pakistan was verified. The remaining 375 individuals, lacking proper documentation, are anticipated to face deportation.
