ISLAMABAD – Afghanistan urged Pakistan on Wednesday to cease detaining Afghan refugees after 250 were detained by counterterrorism and other agencies for lack of travel permits.

During the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan from 1979 to 1989, millions of Afghans migrated to Pakistan, producing one of the world’s greatest refugee populations. Since then, Pakistan has hosted Afghans, pressing them to register with the UN and local authorities in order to prevent deportation.

According to Afghanistan’s embassy in Islamabad, there is still concern about refugees in the capital, the garrison city of Rawalpindi, and surrounding areas.

A diplomatic delegation met with police to examine the situation and heard that law enforcement officers had detained 250 refugees in recent days, including some with UN-backed documents allowing them to stay in Pakistan temporarily and move freely.

The embassy stated that it is working to determine the legal status of the detained Afghans and to expedite their release.

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“The Government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is urged to stop arresting Afghan refugees and to officially address its concerns, as this can harm bilateral relations between the two countries,” it stated in a tweet.

The embassy also informed that Arzoo Ahmadi, a female athlete, was temporarily held in southern Sindh province. She was in Pakistan for a martial arts competition when she was arrested on Tuesday morning for not possessing travel paperwork. She was transported to a women’s shelter and eventually released, according to reports.

More than one million registered Afghan refugees dwell in Pakistan, while the number of people entering the nation increased dramatically when the Taliban reclaimed power in Afghanistan in August 2021.

Over 100,000 Afghans have fled to Pakistan to fear persecution at home, despite the Taliban issuing a pardon and urging them not to leave.

Images of imprisoned Afghan youngsters in a Karachi prison sparked uproar in December. They were among at least 1,200 Afghan nationals caught in multiple raids for illegally entering the southern port city.

The arrests highlighted the tense relationship between the two neighbours. Clashes have broken out in border communities, and both governments accuse the other of failing to do enough to curb radicalism.