ANKARA – The government of Turkey has clarified that it has not granted residence permits to Afghans, addressing the rumors in this regard.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan addressed allegations surrounding promises of visas and residence permits for Afghan migrants while responding to a parliamentary question.
The question was pitched by Deniz Demir, an Ankara deputy from the opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP); however, Fidan clarified that no commitments were made in this regard.
The concerns were raised from discussions allegedly involving the “legalization of Afghan migrants and work visas for Afghans.”
These claims surfaced after a meeting between Khalil-ur-Rahman Haqqani, the Islamic Emirate’s acting Minister of Refugees and Repatriation, and Cenk Unal, Chargé d’Affaires and Head of Mission of the Turkish Embassy in Kabul.
Fidan described that the meeting was a routine interaction between Unal and members of the Taliban-led interim administration. He emphasized that the primary topics of discussion centered around addressing irregular migration originating from Afghanistan and facilitating the return of Afghan migrants to their home country.
The Foreign Minister highlighted that Turkish missions and embassies do not customarily publicize meetings with authorities, highlighting the nation’s diplomatic practices in managing such interactions.
The clarification comes in the wake of heightened scrutiny and concerns regarding the handling of Afghan migrant issues in diplomatic engagements. The Afghan refugees have been residing in different countries ever since the country was thrown into chaos due to violence and extremism that has not ended even after the withdrawal of US forces.
Millions of Afghans are also living in neighboring Pakistan though the government has now launched a crackdown against all the illegal refugees.
On the other hand, countries like Canada are also welcoming Afghan refugees giving them residence pathways and creating an enabling environment so that they can integrate into society and play a positive part.
