Two years on, Afghan refugees still wait for dawn of normalcy

Pakistan tops the list of countries to host the most Afghan refugees in total in the world; those who came many years ago and those who fled Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover of Kabul in August 2021. Since then, hundreds of arrests have been made by Pakistani police, either detaining the refugees or deporting them to countries that entail serious harm to their lives and wellbeing.

Recently, Pakistani social media was divided on the issue of Afghan refugees in the country, with thousands demanding that they be ‘expelled.’ For decades now, ordinary Afghans have faced the consequences of failed policies they didn’t create or implement. 

With a series of false promises coupled with the dire state of host nations, the refugees find themselves between a rock and a hard place. As I write this from the comfort of my room, I am reminded of a refugee who fled Afghanistan for Iran, and after nearly two years, still waits for his visa approval to Germany. 

When the Taliban took over Kabul, many Afghans filed for P1/P2 visas on the instructions of coalition countries. The applicants were asked to wait 14 months to two years in a third country to ensure their exit after the said time. That wait continues. 

Almost every refugee that I have talked to in Pakistan tells me they’re happy with the hospitality of the Pakistani people but that their experience with the police is far from pleasant. A refugee who spoke on the condition of anonymity said that unannounced police raids were a cause of great anxiety. She added that even if their visas were expired, the token provided by the UNHCR for visa renewal should be sufficient proof that they are not living here illegally.

Following a relentless pattern, the US has left Afghans in brutal limbo. For the year 2022, a total of $60 million were provided for Afghan refugees in Pakistan. During its war in Afghanistan, $300 million were spent every single day for 20 years.

Naila Mahsud

Unaware of the laws of Pakistan, many refugees who are detained find it easier to bribe their way out of jail by giving thousands of rupees to police personnel. Whether higher authorities are aware of this remains unknown.

In June, a prominent Afghan journalist named Mohammad Tahir Sadid was picked up from Islamabad and detained. There were reports that a ransom was being elicited for his release. Fellow journalists in Pakistan raised the issue and he was finally allowed to go home.

An applicant of the P1/P2 visa to the United States tells me that the visa process only began a few months ago, while it has been two years since the Taliban came to power. The west seems to be following bureaucratic visa protocols instead of a humanitarian disaster response. Many European countries continue weighing the pros and cons of allowing Afghan refugees in. 

Following a relentless pattern, the US has left Afghans in a brutal limbo. For the year 2022, a total of $60 million were provided for Afghan refugees in Pakistan. On the other hand, during its war in Afghanistan, $300 million were spent every single day for 20 years.

The confusion and paranoia among Afghan refugees everywhere is unfathomable. In two years, it is clear that the international community has well and truly failed them. It has failed to perform its financial, diplomatic and humanitarian duties towards Afghan refugees living in Pakistan and elsewhere. 

Even though Pakistan is not a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention or its 1967 protocol, it should speed up talks with other countries that have promised visas to Afghan refugees living in Pakistan. Deporting people to a state that warrants danger to their lives and well-being is not a solution and it is not the life they deserve to lead. 

– Naila Mahsud is a Pakistani political and International relations researcher, with a focus on regional politics and security issues.

Twitter: @MahsudNaila