Afghan Taliban government makes an appeal to Pakistan
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The Taliban government in Afghanistan has made an appeal to Pakistan, urging them to grant additional time for the undocumented Afghans residing in Pakistan to voluntarily leave the country. This request comes as border posts are grappling with overwhelming pressure due to the influx of thousands of Afghans returning to their homeland to avoid the looming threat of deportation.
The Pakistani government had originally established November 1 as the deadline for the approximately 1.7 million Afghans living illegally within its borders to leave voluntarily. Failure to comply would subject them to forced removal.
Border officials stationed in the towns of Torkham and Chaman have reported that a significant number of people, exceeding 130,000, have already departed Pakistan since the order was issued at the beginning of October. This mass exodus has triggered a severe backlog and congestion on both sides of the border crossings.
In response to this situation, the Taliban authorities issued a statement expressing their appreciation to Pakistan and other nations that have provided refuge to millions of Afghans who fled their homeland during the prolonged periods of conflict.
However, they have made a plea to these host countries, asking them not to hastily deport Afghans but instead extend the time for necessary preparations.
Since the Taliban assumed power in August 2021, they have consistently encouraged Afghans to return to their home country.
