Global Rice News

**The Karakoram Mountain Range Witnesses Humanitarian Catastrophe as Pakistan Begins Deporting Afghan Refugees**

With the winter of 2023 on the verge, most peaks and mountaintops can already be seen blanketed in snow as temperatures plummet and chilly winds grow. But not all snow-covered valleys tell tales of a paradise on earth. The Karakoram Mountain Range, for instance, that runs through Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India is now witnessing a humanitarian catastrophe that is beginning to look like one of the worst in modern history.

The current Pakistan government, which issued November 1st as a deadline for all undocumented Afghan refugees in Pakistan to leave or else, has made true all its threats. The deadline left the refugees, a staggering total of at least 1.7 million people, with less than a month to either voluntarily leave the country they’ve called home, some for decades, to return to a homeland they’ve never seen before, or face forced deportation.

## Forced Deportation and Harsh Conditions for Afghan Refugees

The order that asked undocumented Afghan refugees to leave before the deadline expired stated that they would only be allowed to cross the border with limited belongings, a maximum of 50,000 Pakistani rupees ($178), and would have to leave their livestock behind. The government also made announcements to Pakistani landlords prohibiting them from accepting any more Afghan tenants.

While Islamabad claims that the deportations happening are all voluntary and are being carried out with the full cooperation of the refugees, Kabul has consistently rejected all such claims, calling out the actions as ‘unilateral’ and ‘humiliating’. Many reports have surfaced of how Afghan refugees have been rounded up by force to be bundled into overcrowded trucks headed for the Afghanistan borders. Police have reportedly even asked clerics in some of the city’s mosques to inform the worshippers of their ‘duty’ to tell on Afghans in their neighborhoods. Over 2,000 people were arrested and many residences were razed across Pakistan in the week since the crackdown began after November 1st.

Authorities in Pakistan had started rounding up Afghan refugees even before the deadline expired, and Pakistani police have been accused of the harassment of both illegal and legal refugees. In the Chaman camp near the Afghanistan border, Afghan refugees have related their experiences of harassment by the Pakistani authorities, with many losing their refugee cards issued by the UNHCR. Police have been accused of tearing these cards.

## Afghan Refugees Desperate to Remain in Pakistan

Afghans who have made Pakistan their home for years are now confused and desperate. Abdul Rasul, who had been employed as a security guard in Rawalpindi for over 29 years after seeking refuge from war-torn Afghanistan, questions why he is being sent back when he and his siblings were born in Pakistan and hold government-approved Afghan identification documents. Abdul Rasul accused interim Prime Minister Anwar-ul-Haq Kakar and Interior Minister Sarfaraz Bugti of breaking their word to expel only undocumented migrants.

In addition to the confusion and fear, Afghan refugees are also facing dire conditions in refugee camps on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. People sleep outdoors with limited access to food, water, and healthcare. The camps lack heating sources, lighting, and proper sanitation facilities, leading to poor hygiene conditions.

## Afghan Refugees and the Crisis in Afghanistan

Afghanistan has long been embroiled in conflict and instability, with foreign countries repeatedly trying to exert their influence over the region. The United States invasion of Afghanistan in 2001 and the subsequent rule by interim governments for almost two decades have left the country devastated. Afghanistan’s infrastructure is in ruins, and the country remains one of the poorest in the world due to a lack of foreign investment and government corruption.

War, natural disasters, and a lack of resources have forced nearly 7 million Afghans to flee their country in search of peace and a better future for their families. While many have returned over time, around 1.3 million registered Afghan refugees still remain in Pakistan, while 1.7 million are unregistered and now faced with forced deportation.

## Challenges in Afghanistan’s Ability to Accommodate Refugees

Afghanistan is a country that has been plagued by wars and natural disasters for decades. The recent Taliban takeover and the subsequent withdrawal of international aid has left the country in dire need of assistance. The Afghan economy is struggling, and millions of people are at risk of starvation and displacement.

Many Afghan refugees now face the challenge of reintegration into Afghan society, which is still recovering from decades of conflict. The lack of recognition of the Taliban government by international organizations and the strict policies imposed by the Taliban pose obstacles to the successful return and reestablishment of Afghan refugees.

## Urgent Need for International Assistance

The international community must step in to support Afghan refugees and provide urgent humanitarian aid. Organizations such as the Norwegian Refugee Council, the Danish Refugee Council, and the International Rescue Committee are urging the global community to respond quickly and provide assistance to those in need.

Without the necessary aid and support, Afghanistan will struggle to accommodate, feed, and shelter the millions of Afghan refugees returning to their homeland. The situation is dire, and immediate action is required to prevent further suffering and loss of life.

**Source:** [The Cognate](https://thecognate.com)