ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — The Taliban’s chargé d’affaires in Pakistan, Sardar Ahmad Shakeeb, raised concerns about the treatment of Afghan refugees during a meeting with Philippa Candler, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) representative in Pakistan. Shakeeb alleged that Pakistani police have conducted raids targeting Afghan refugees, including women and children, some of whom possess valid visas and legal documentation.
According to a statement from the Taliban-run embassy in Islamabad, Shakeeb voiced “profound concern” over the reported detention and harassment of Afghan nationals in Islamabad and Rawalpindi.
“He underscored the imperative for UNHCR to take decisive action to safeguard the rights and ensure necessary facilitation for individuals holding Proof of Registration (POR) cards, Afghan Citizen Cards (ACC), and SHARP tokens,” the embassy said.
Shakeeb also noted reports that police are instructing Afghan residents to vacate Islamabad and Rawalpindi by January 15, regardless of their legal status, adding that the directive has caused widespread distress within the Afghan refugee community.
Candler reportedly echoed the concerns, acknowledging complaints of harassment against Afghan refugees and confirming that UNHCR had raised the issue in meetings with key Pakistani ministries, including the Ministry of States and Frontier Regions (SAFRON), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Ministry of Interior.
“UNHCR is working to ensure the cessation of such treatment towards Afghan refugees,” the statement read, adding that further discussions with Pakistani authorities are planned to seek a resolution.
The meeting comes as Pakistan has intensified its deportation of Afghan nationals. Rights groups have expressed alarm over the situation, warning that Afghan refugees, many of whom fled instability and persecution at home, face an increasingly uncertain future in Pakistan.
