ISLAMABAD – Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said on Monday that Pakistan has not given the status of refugee to a single person from Afghanistan following the recent mass evacuation from neighbouring country after the Taliban’s takeover.
Talking to media, the minister said, “We were expecting a huge refugee influx from Afghanistan, but not a single person came to Pakistan as refugee”.
His remarks come a day before the US-led foreign forces complete their withdrawal from the war-torn country.
Rashid said that the Taliban have assured to not let TTP use Afghanistan’s soil against Pakistan.
He said Pakistan Army is present along the border with Afghanistan to defend every inch of the motherland, adding that around 2690 kilometers of Pak-Afghan frontier has been fenced, state broadcaster reported.
He said that Pakistan played a historic role in Afghan peace process, adding that world should remember that Pakistan lost around 800,000 lives in fight against terrorism.
The interior minister said that arrangements of accommodating 3,000 people in Islamabad only have been completed. He said any person from any nationality, who comes to Pakistan from Afghanistan, will be granted a transit visa of 21 days.
Replying to a question, Rashid said that that all Pakistanis have been evacuated from Afghanistan and only 30 to 40 people are there, who themselves do not want their repatriation.
PIA evacuates another 90 passengers including foreign diplomats from Kabul
