Nearly 400 Afghan Refugees Repatriated from Pakistani Prisons Amid Ongoing Detentions

This week, nearly 400 Afghan refugees were released from prisons in Pakistan and returned to their home country. These individuals had been detained due to a lack of legal residency documents.

Taliban Government: 400 Afghan Refugees Released from Pakistani Prisons

The Taliban’s Ministry of Refugees announced that close to 400 Afghan citizens were released from Pakistani jails this week and repatriated to Afghanistan. The statement indicated that these individuals entered Afghanistan through the ‘Torkham’ and ‘Spin Boldak’ crossings.

The individuals had been held in Pakistani prisons for varying periods because they lacked legal documentation. The Ministry confirmed that following necessary assistance, they have returned to their original regions.

Pakistani Police Continue to Detain Afghan Refugees

In recent months, the Pakistani police have consistently detained Afghan refugees who do not possess proper documentation. The Ministry also noted that over 300 Afghans were released from Pakistani prisons in July of this year. Despite the United Nations’ calls for cessation of detentions and expulsions of refugees, the Islamabad government persists with this practice.

There has been no precise count published regarding the number of Afghans currently imprisoned in Pakistan; however, reports suggest that Islamabad has sent thousands of Afghan citizens back to Afghanistan since November of last year due to their lack of legal documents.