In a post on X, the World Uyghur Congress stated, “18 Uyghur families, who have been living in Pakistan for several years are fearing deportation to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan or China, under a new directive by the Pakistani government.”

 

Approximately 100 individuals who had lived in Pakistan as refugees will face forceful deportation just after the month of Ramzan (April 9), according to a directive by the Pakistani administration. These refugee families who have been living in Pakistan for years in the near future will be deported to Afghanistan or China.

 

These 18 Uyghur families that are being forced to be deported have been living in Pakistan for several years, and are a part of the 1.7 million refugees that live in the country.

 

In October last year, Pakistan announced the deportation rules. In November 2023, the Pakistani government decided to extend the stay of the Uyghurs for six months after the United Nations refugee agency intervened on their behalf.

 

In February, Pakistan’s Interior Ministry held a meeting to review the repatriation plan, which outlines three phases, starting with undocumented Afghan nationals, followed by Afghan Citizen Card holders and proof of registration holders. The Uyghur families are registered as Afghan refugees and hold Afghan Citizen Cards but otherwise have no passports or legal identity.

Most of these Uyghurs are a generation of people who migrated from Xinjiang to Afghanistan and then to Pakistan after wars and other problems. However, the Pakistani government has still not granted the Uyghurs residency status. Due to this, the Uyghurs face restrictions on access to jobs, education for their children, and free movement in Pakistan.

An official from the UN refugee agency’s office (UNHCR), which is monitoring the situation, expressed hope that the new directive would not adversely impact the Uyghur families.

In a text message, the official said, “We are aware of this, but the government has not formally moved on it.” The UNHRC official stressed a low likelihood of deportation of Uyghurs. However, neither his office nor the Pakistani authorities could offer clear and reliable information regarding their fate. (ANI)