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After the Afghan Taliban took over Kabul in 2021, the US government evacuated thousands of Afghans who had worked for them fearing reprisals at the hands of the new government.
The United States Emby in Pakistan issued letters of departure to more than 25,000 Afghan citizens as part of the process of transfer and resettlement to the US and shared their names with authorities in Pakistan. However, according to a senior interior ministry official, these Afghan nationals face an uncertain future as Pakistan has objected to the list. Currently, these Afghan citizens are living in Pakistan awaiting resettlement in the US.
As per Dawn report, the crisis came to light when Pakistan started detaining illegal Afghan refugees in holding centers after the deadline for their voluntary departure from Afghanistan expired on November 1. After the Afghan Taliban took over Kabul in 2021, the US government evacuated thousands of Afghans who had worked for them fearing reprisals at the hands of the new government. Reportedly, these Afghan nationals also faced action during the ongoing down against illegal aliens, forcing US officials to contact Pakistani authorities to resolve the issue.
US officials believe that these letters will serve as a guarantee for the concerned Afghan citizens to remain in Pakistan without fear of arrest and subsequent deportation. We are in close and ongoing contact with the Government of Pakistan on the safety of persons in US pipelines. “Our main concern is the safety of vulnerable and at-risk individuals,” US Emby spokesperson Jonathan Lally told Dawn. It was in the interest of both countries to ensure the safe and efficient resettlement of Afghan refugees and asylum seekers.
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