Afghan families in a Karachi refugee settlement observed Eid al-Adha with anxiety, facing an impending deportation deadline as Pakistan enforces repatriation of long-term Afghan residents. The deadline, coming after the Taliban's takeover in 2021, has caused widespread fear among those forced to return to Afghanistan. Leaders within the refugee community express that such rapid uprooting is unfeasible, having lived in Pakistan for decades. They urge for understanding and compassion from their host nation, which is grappling with its challenges related to the Taliban, contributing to growing frustration over the refugee situation.
Uprooting their lives in just a few days is impossible. Many have spent decades here, and now they are being forced to return to a country they barely know.
As a fellow Muslim nation and a neighbor, Pakistan should show compassion and grant refugees more time to prepare, said Haji Abdullah Bukhari, a community leader in Karachi.
Since the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979, millions of Afghans have sought refuge in neighboring Pakistan, fleeing waves of violence and instability.
Pakistan's ongoing deportation of Afghan refugees stems from growing frustration with the Taliban administration, which it accuses of sheltering Pakistani militants.
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