US envoy praises Pakistan for extending Afghan refugees’ stay in the country

Pakistan’s States and Frontier Regions Minister Amir Muqam speaks during a meeting with US Ambassador Donald Blome in Islamabad on August 8, 2024. (Photo courtesy: US Embassy)

• Donald Blome acknowledges Pakistan’s cooperation with the resettlement of eligible refugees in the US
• Government says at least 44,000 Afghans approved for relocation to Western nations still live in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: The top American diplomat to Pakistan appreciated the government’s decision to extend the stay of Afghan refugees in the country, said a statement released by the United States Embassy on Friday, acknowledging Pakistan’s cooperation with Washington in facilitating the resettlement of eligible refugees in the US.
Last month, Pakistan decided to extend the registration cards of nearly 1.5 million Afghan refugees for a year amid international pressure to halt its deportation drive, which it launched in November 2023, citing security reasons.
At the same time, the country’s foreign office announced in a media briefing that at least 44,000 Afghans approved for relocation to Western nations were still living in Pakistan.
These individuals fled Afghanistan following the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021, having collaborated with US-led international forces and fearing retribution.
“US Ambassador Donald Blome met with Minister of States and Frontier Regions Amir Muqam on August 8 to thank the Minister for Pakistan’s long history of hosting Afghan refugees and reaffirm the United States’ commitment to working with Pakistan to assist Afghan refugees and Pakistani community members in areas hosting refugees,” the embassy said in a brief statement.
“The Ambassador expressed appreciation for Pakistan’s recent decision to extend the validity of refugee Proof of Registration cards, for the positive steps taken to address protection concerns, and for our countries’ continued cooperation to facilitate the safe, efficient resettlement of eligible Afghans to the United States,” it added.
The Proof of Registration cards are official documents issued by the Pakistani government to Afghan refugees, providing them legal status in the country during their stay.
The embassy’s statement did not specify a timeframe for relocating the refugees eligible to go to the US.
An official Pakistani press release after the US envoy’s meeting with Muqam said the minister “emphasized the need for the US and other global partners to assist in the repatriation of Afghan refugees.”
Pakistan first hosted millions of Afghan refugees uprooted by the war in their country following the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in December 1979.
More recently, it faced another influx of Afghan nationals after international forces withdrew following a two-decade presence in Afghanistan.
Officials in Islamabad launched a deportation campaign against these refugees after a spike in suicide bombings last year, which they blamed on Afghans without providing substantial evidence.
According to Radio Pakistan, the government has sent nearly 675,000 Afghans back to their country since the expulsion drive began.
Cash-strapped and navigating record inflation, Pakistan also asserts that undocumented migrants have become a drain on its economy.