Publish dateSaturday 25 January 2025 - 12:02
Story Code : 305764
Afghans in Pakistan awaiting US resettlement feel betrayal after Trump order
A decision by President Donald Trump's administration to halt visa processing for refugees has caused uncertainty and shock at an English school for Afghans in Islamabad who are awaiting resettlement in the United States.
Afghan Voice Agency (AVA) - Monitoring:  Normally enthusiastic students were quiet or crying in class after the news broke on Tuesday, said Sayed Hasib ullah, a 20-year old teacher whose application for resettlement in the U.S is in process.
Some feel betrayed, with many - including those who fled Emirates rule in Afghanistan - having already spent years in limbo.
"It was really a horrible moment for us. We have been waiting for almost three years and there is no hope anymore," he told Reuters at the school in Pakistan's capital.
The sudden delay has upended the plans of many Afghans in Pakistan and left them in despair after undergoing extensive vetting and making preparations for new lives in the U.S.
In an intermediate language class, about half of which had U.S. visa applications in process, a 16 year-old girl broke down in tears.
"I feel very bad from this news," she said, unable to focus on her work - practicing a list of English phrases for giving formal presentations that was written on the class whiteboard.
She hopes to enrol in high school in the U.S. after being barred from pursuing her education at school in Afghanistan.
The tutoring academy, which has roughly 300 students, is one of the few spaces available for studying for many Afghans waiting for U.S. visas. They cannot legally work or formally study in Pakistan.
Shawn VanDiver, the founder of #AfghanEvac, the leading coalition of resettlement and veterans groups, said there were 10,000-15,000 Afghans in Pakistan waiting for special immigration visas or resettlement in the U.S. as refugees.
Many have waited for years after being instructed when applying to travel to a third country for processing. For many the only option was Pakistan, which borders Afghanistan but, facing economic and security crises, began deporting tens of thousands of Afghans in 2023.
A spokesperson for Pakistan's foreign ministry did not immediately respond to request for comment on the U.S. announcement./Reuters
https://avapress.com/vdcepn8xejh87fi.1kbj.html
Post a comment
Your Name
Your Email Address