Pakistani Defense Minister: Afghan refugees should return to their country

Afghan Voice Agency (AVA) – Kabul: According to Pakistani media, Khawaja Mohammad Asif said that border management and the return of migrants should be done in a coherent and legal manner to maintain stability and order in the border areas.

 

He added that Pakistan's borders should be fully controlled like other independent countries and a formal migration system should be established at border crossings.

 

He told Geo News that no one should cross the border into border towns without permission. He said the process should be formalized and coordinated at the national level and all cities should align their policies with central policies on migration and borders.

 

The Pakistani defense minister's remarks come as deadly clashes between Pakistani troops and Afghan Islamic Emirate forces have taken place in recent days along the common border between the two countries.

 

The new stance of the Pakistani defense minister is reportedly part of Islamabad's tough policy towards Afghan refugees; A policy that has intensified since last year with the forced deportation of more than a million migrants.

According to human rights groups, the process of returning migrants continues and thousands of Afghan families are homeless in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces.

Meanwhile, political observers believe that Khawaja Mohammad Asif's new statements come in the wake of recent border tensions and counter-attacks between the two countries and could be a sign of Pakistan's intensifying political and security pressure on Afghan refugees.