ISLAMABAD – Foreign Office Spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan says Afghan Charge d’ Affaires’ assertions regarding mistreatment of Afghan nationals are misplaced.
He said this in a statement while responding to an Afghan Charge d’ Affaires’ remarks about Pakistan’s Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan (IFRP).
The spokesperson reminds the Charge d’ Affaires that Pakistan has hosted millions of Afghans for decades with respect and dignity, while extending traditional hospitality, sharing its resources and services such as education and health, even with very little international support.
Shafqat Ali Khan said as regards aliens, Pakistan started IFRP in 2023, and put in place appropriate mechanisms to ensure that no one is mistreated or harassed during the repatriation process.
In this connection, Pakistan also extensively engaged the Afghan side to ensure smooth repatriation of Afghan nationals.
While Pakistan has done what it could, Islamabad expects interim Afghan authorities to create conducive conditions in Afghanistan, so that these returnees are fully integrated in the Afghan society. The real test of Afghan authorities would be to ensure that rights of these people about whom the Afghan Charge d’ Affaires talked are protected in Afghanistan.
