Pakistan speeds up Afghans' repatriation

Peshawar, November 3

Pakistan opened more border centres on Friday to speed up the return of tens of thousands of undocumented Afghans, an official said, two days after the deadline to leave or face expulsion expired and ignoring pleas to give the plan a rethink.

Pakistan has brushed off calls from the United Nations, rights groups and Western embassies to reconsider expelling more than a million of 4 million Afghans in the country, saying they had been involved in Islamist militant attacks and crimes that undermined the security of the country. Afghanistan denies the accusations.

The UN refugee agency, the International Organisation for Migration and the UN Children’s Fund on Friday expressed concern for the safety of children and families affected by the expulsion. Mullah Hassan Akhund, PM in Afghanistan’s Taliban-led administration, also expressed reservations. “It is 100% against all principles, come and talk face to face,” he said in a video-recorded statement. — Reuters