Pakistan urged to provide assistance to Afghan refugees 

Jalil Afridi 

Washington DC: US State Department has asked Pakistan to uphold its obligation with regard to Afghan refugees and asylum seekers. 

When asked by an Afghan journalist that Pakistan and Iran should be pressurized not to kick out Afghan refugees, the US State Department Spokesperson, Matthew Miller stated that “we urge all nations including Pakistan to uphold its obligation in their treatment of refugees and asylum seekers.” 

Matthew Miller also stated that Pakistan should seek assistance from UNHCR in help the Afghan refugees. 

It is pertinent to mention here that Pakistan has given November 1, 2023 deadline to all illegal immigrants residing in Pakistan to voluntarily leave the country otherwise legal action will be taken against them. 

It is also pertinent to mention here that it is mostly the Afghan refugees who are illegally overstaying in Pakistan 

On the other hand; Pakistan’s concern is that members of TTP (Tehrike Taliban Pakistan) disguise as Afghan refugees while staying in Pakistan and then they conduct terrorist activities inside Pakistan. 

In the midst of this scenario; the demand of Pakistani visa from Afghanistan has spiked upto 1500 US dollars and the whereabouts of this income from visa is still unknown. According to The Frontier Post, several travel agents and middlemen are involved in minting this wealth, which ranges to almost half a million US dollars everyday. 

Several interim Afghan government officials have recently publicly requested Pakistan to review its policy towards the Afghan refugees. 

Message to other countries:

Matthew Miller also commented that the message of the US to other countries is that “do not enter this conflict.” He further added several times that the U.S. will continue its support to Israel and that Israel has the right to defend itself.

On China:

On China, US State Department Spokesperson, Matthew Miller said that Secretary Blinken during his recent visit to Israel and other middle eastern countries, had made a phone call to China’s Foreign Minister, Wang Yi because when there are other crisis in the world, China can use its influence to solve those crisis.