The International Rescue Committee has voiced concerns over the ongoing deportations of migrants from Pakistan, highlighting the lack of safe living conditions in Afghanistan and the significant risks, particularly for children.
Faced with cold weather, these immigrants also contend with challenges such as the absence of educational and work opportunities for their daughters under the Taliban’s rule.
“As winter is approaching, the weather and temperature are dropping every day, posing a significant concern for those arriving here,” stated Abdul Khaliq Siddiqui, Communications Coordinator of the International Rescue Committee. “They urgently need shelter because most of them lack a secure place to go, leading to considerable stress, especially for women and children living under tents in the open.”
The International Organization for Migration reported that Afghan migrants have lost all their assets, including homes, and are grappling with numerous challenges.
Simultaneously, the Taliban’s Acting Minister of Industry and Trade acknowledged the myriad problems faced by immigrants in Afghanistan, including issues with medicine and food.
“The issues involve not just tens or hundreds of people, but 1.8 million people. Winter is approaching, and I am certain that immigrants are encountering numerous challenges, including medical and food concerns,” remarked Nooruddin Azizi, Acting Minister of Industry and Trade for the Taliban.
According to the latest report from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, over 335,000 people, with 48% women and 52% men, have been deported or returned from Pakistan.