As the Pakistan government’s deportation deadline of November 1 looms, a container transporting Afghan refugees en route to Afghanistan has met with a tragic accident on GT Road near Hattian. The accident has resulted in two fatalities and left 14 individuals injured. The incident adds to the complexity of the ongoing deportation campaign targeting undocumented foreign nationals.
A somber turn of events unfolded on GT Road near Hattian as a container carrying Afghan refugees, compelled by the looming deportation deadline, met with a disastrous accident. The collision resulted in a heart-wrenching loss of two lives and left 14 individuals with various degrees of injuries.
The accident has cast a shadow on the contentious issue of repatriation and deportation of undocumented foreign nationals, primarily Afghan refugees, initiated by the Pakistan government. The government’s stance, reaffirmed on October 26 by the Interior Minister, asserts that there will be no compromise on illegal residents in Pakistan after November 1.
In response to this, law enforcement agencies have launched geo-fencing and geo-mapping efforts to identify Afghan residents and facilitate their repatriation in an organized manner.
Despite the deportation campaign’s progress, the government maintains that its objective is not directed at any specific nationality but rather a broader effort to address the issue of undocumented residents.
However, the United Nations agencies have contested this, claiming that there are over two million undocumented Afghans in Pakistan, with 600,000 of them having sought refuge in Pakistan following the Taliban’s takeover in Afghanistan.
As the tragic accident emphasizes the risks faced by Afghan refugees returning home amidst the deportation deadline, it underscores the multifaceted challenges and complexities associated with addressing the issue of undocumented foreign nationals in Pakistan. The incident also serves as a reminder of the urgent need for safe and well-managed repatriation initiatives to avoid further human tragedies.
