QUETTA: Pakistan on Tuesday deported over 200 Afghan nationals, including women and children, who reached Quetta via Chaman after Taliban took control of Afghanistan.

They crossed into Pakis­tan from different points and reached Chaman and stayed at a railway station there for a few days. How­ever, the authorities in Chaman did not allow them to stay further in the border town. The Afghan nationals belonging to Kunduz province mana­g­­ed to reach Quetta two days ago and chose a place in Bal­eli, a locality in the outskirts of the provincial capital.

However, the authorities concerned did not allow them to stay in Quetta. They took the Afghan nationals into custody and sent them back to their country via Chaman on Tuesday.

“These Afghan families were deported to Afghanis­tan as they entered Pakistan illegally,” Quetta Division Commissioner Sohail-ur-Reh­­­man Baloch told the media. Until the government gave permission for their stay, all Afghan nationals ent­­­ering Pakistan illegally would be sent back, he added.

The government is not allowing Afghan citizens to enter Pakistan without legal documents, including visa.

The administration in Chaman said no arrangements were made so far to welcome Afghan refugees to Pakistan. The Afghan refugees’ organisation and UNHCR have also yet to make arrangements for accommodating Afghan refugees in any area of Balochistan.

However, there are reports that some Afghan families have entered Noshki district from Helmand province of Afghanistan.

Published in Dawn, September 8th, 2021