KABUL, Afghanistan—Abdul Kabir, the Taliban’s minister for refugees, has urged Iran and Pakistan to implement a “structured system” for managing Afghan migrants rather than resorting to forced deportations, according to a statement from the Taliban’s refugee ministry.
While Kabir did not elaborate on what such a system would entail, the ministry said he made the request in separate meetings with Ali Reza Bigdeli, Iran’s top diplomat in Kabul, and Ubaid ur Rehman Nizamani, Pakistan’s ambassador to Afghanistan.
During the meetings, Kabir said that Afghan migrants in neighboring countries have faced “inappropriate treatment” in recent months.
In his discussion with Pakistan’s ambassador, Kabir also raised concerns about the continued closure of the Torkham border crossing, saying, “War and violence are not solutions; problems should be resolved through dialogue.”
According to the Taliban’s statement, Nizamani pledged to relay Kabul’s concerns to his government, while Bigdeli reaffirmed Iran’s commitment to supporting Afghan migrants with legal status.
Officials from all three sides reportedly agreed that migration issues should not be politicized.
The discussions come amid mass deportations of Afghan migrants from both Iran and Pakistan, with rights groups warning of worsening humanitarian conditions for those forcibly returned.
After the fall of the previous government in August 2021, millions of Afghans fled the country, citing threats from the Taliban, economic hardships, and the desire to secure education for women and girls, who remain barred from schooling under Taliban rule.
Following the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021, approximately 3.6 million Afghans fled the country between 2021 and 2022, primarily seeking refuge in neighboring nations. This mass exodus contributed to a global displacement of nearly 10.9 million Afghans, encompassing both refugees and internally displaced individuals.
