In his book Leviathan, Hobbes describes the lives of the people in Lagos as “perpetual fear and danger of violent death; and the life of man, solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.” This description can now be likened to the lives of most Afghan citizens under Taliban rule. The Taliban have not only endangered collective life with killings, detentions, and instilling fear, but they have also extinguished the hope of a better future.
Many young people and families, especially those who have been educated and enjoyed the benefits of a more comfortable life over the past two decades, view life under Taliban rule as the death of their dreams and the end of current and future happiness. Naturally, every human being aspires to a life of comfort and economic opportunities and seeks an escape from despair and life under oppression. Millions of Afghan citizens have fled the country in search of a better tomorrow, away from the harsh conditions, perpetual fear, and life under the killers of their hopes. Many of those who have left Afghanistan have sought refuge in neighboring countries, including Pakistan. However, in Pakistan, they face a fate worse than in Afghanistan, with fear, anxiety, poverty, and cruelty continuing to threaten them.
Over the past two years, the situation of Afghan refugees in Pakistan has increasingly deteriorated, becoming more critical and catastrophic. Thousands of refugees are forcibly deported and subjected to violent and brutal treatment by the Pakistani police. Ignoring the plight of the distressed and those who have sought refuge out of necessity, the Pakistani police cruelly arrest Afghan women, children, and the elderly. They extort money from them and, when unable to pay bribes, the refugees are expelled in extremely dire and degrading conditions. Former military personnel, media, and civil activists have been arrested upon deportation by the Taliban, with some even facing execution.
Simultaneously, video clips depicting the dire and desperate condition of refugees in recent days profoundly affect the human psyche. These harrowing scenes of refugees being arrested by the Pakistani police not only have adverse psychological impacts on the refugees but also significantly tarnish Pakistan’s image in the minds of the Afghan public. This is particularly unworthy of a country that claims to uphold human rights values and is a member of the United Nations.
Pakistan must stop using refugees as a bargaining chip because the Taliban show no concern for the humanitarian situation of the citizens of Afghanistan, whether inside or outside the country. For the Taliban, anyone who does not support them or align with their ideology is worthless and, in their eyes, deserves punishment and even death. The Pakistani government must adhere to international laws and human rights, ending the arrests and forced deportations. Refugees should be allowed to extend their legal documents when necessary. Additionally, extortion and pressure on refugees must be stopped, and the police should be prevented from exploiting them financially.
Another challenge Afghan refugees face in Pakistan is the complicated and costly process of visa renewal. According to Pakistan’s domestic laws, tourist visas, family visit visas, and even medical visas were previously extended for six months. However, without any official announcement, the extension period has been reduced to 45 days. This reduction is highly burdensome and almost impossible for Afghan refugees, who need to stay longer in Pakistan to process their immigration cases. Consequently, many hope this unwritten and unannounced rule will be repealed, allowing them to extend their residency visas.
Currently, each visa renewal applicant in Pakistan is required to pay a $20 registration fee. Additionally, they must pay agents between 15,000 to 20,000 Pakistani rupees to obtain a renewed visa. Failure to do so results in rejecting their visa renewal application after a month, exposing the applicant to fines, forced deportation, or even imprisonment.
On the other hand, many Afghan refugees in Pakistan believe that the pressures have intensified following increased attacks by Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) on the country’s military positions and widespread protests by supporters of former Prime Minister Imran Khan. Regardless of these claims, refugees who fled Afghanistan due to the Taliban’s discriminatory policies should not be victims of the wrongful policies of those who themselves despise these actions and have no choice but to migrate.
These refugees have left their country out of fear of the Taliban, who silence them and ignore their demands. In Afghanistan, the Taliban criminalizes even mentioning political parties, considers criticism a grave sin, and imprison or punish anyone who speaks out. They impose double taxes under the guise of religious and state levies. Such individuals are forced to bear the consequences of the same Taliban policies that led to their displacement, even while living in exile.
You can read the Persian version of this analysis here:
وضعیت بحرانی مهاجران افغانستان در پاکستان | روزنامه ۸صبح
