ISLAMABAD – Pakistan has rejected the remarks made by the acting Afghan Charge d’ Affairs regarding mistreatment of Afghan refugees misplaced.
Foreign Office Spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan, in an official statement, said on Wednesday, “His [Afghan diplomat] assertions regarding mistreatment of Afghan nationals are misplaced. I would like to remind him 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”.
“As regards aliens, we started IFRP in 2023, and put in place appropriate mechanisms to ensure that no one is mistreated or harassed during the repatriation process,” read the statement.
In this connection, the FO spokesperson said Pakistan extensively engaged the Afghan side to ensure smooth repatriation of Afghan nationals.
“While Pakistan has done what it could, we expect 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 Cd’A talked are protected in Afghanistan, the spokesperson said.
