In a notable diplomatic effort, Sardar Ahmad Shakeeb, the acting Afghan Ambassador to Pakistan, met with Philippa Candler, the Chief of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), to discuss pressing issues and the dire situation faced by Afghan refugees in Pakistan.
The Afghan Embassy in Islamabad reported that Ambassador Shakeeb expressed his deep concerns regarding the arrest and mistreatment of Afghan citizens in Islamabad and Rawalpindi.
He emphasized the necessity for UNHCR to take appropriate measures to ensure the protection of the rights of those holding Proof of Registration (POR) cards, Afghan Citizen Cards (ACC), and SHARP tokens, and to provide them with essential facilities.
In the official statement from the embassy, Ambassador Shakeeb highlighted that Pakistani police have been conducting home-to-home searches, detaining Afghan refugees even those with legal documents. He reported instances where Afghan refugees were forced to paying bribes and subjected to extortion.
During the meeting, Philippa Candler also voiced her concerns about the mistreatment of Afghan refugees in Pakistan, acknowledging that numerous complaints had been received regarding the issue.
She assured that several meetings had been held with Pakistani government officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Interior to address the pressing issues faced by Afghan refugees. She further committed to continuing discussions with Pakistani authorities to put an end to the unjust treatment of Afghan refugees.
