Pakistan starts distribution of passports to Afghan immigrants

ISLAMABAD - Authorities in Pakistan have started the distribution of passports to Afghan immigrants, it emerged on Wednesday.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan announced the beginning of the process of distributing passports to Afghan immigrants in Iran and Turkey besides Pakistan. 

Though the above-mentioned three countries have started the distribution, the distribution is still at a halt in Uzbekistan and China but the officials are trying to resume the process to solve the challenges of immigrants. 

“You know that Afghans in foreign countries face various problems, the most important of which is the problem of passports or documents. In the short term, we were able to activate the system in Iran, Pakistan, and Turkey, and in the near future we will activate the system in Uzbekistan and then in China,” explained Mohammad Shoaib Baryali, an official of the Foreign Ministry. 

Though the process has resumed, some of the Afghan refugees in Iran expressed their satisfaction with the passport distribution process at the Afghan consulate but also urged the authorities to reduce the fee from 20 dollars; the fee was originally 30 dollars but even when it has been reduced to 20 dollars, the refugees are finding it hard to pay for the electronic passports. 

Generally, immigrant rights activists in Iran consider the start of this process a welcome move for Afghan immigrants. 

“Immigrants face various challenges, especially Afghan students who were prevented from continuing their education, and also businessmen and travelers who intend to travel to other places,” said Asifa Stanikzai, an immigrant rights activist. 

“The Embassy of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan should provide permanent passport distribution facilities services to the people,” said Mohammad Khan Mohammadzai, an immigrant rights activist.    

People of Afghanistan have been facing wars and violence for decades now which prompted millions of them to move to neighbouring countries including Pakistan.

It bears mentioning that the Proof of Registration cards were issued to Afghan refugees in Pakistan in 2006. They were last extended in 2021 for two years.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees stated that among 3.7 million Afghans living in Pakistan, more than 1.3 million are registered.