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The Afghanistan embassy in Islamabad has appealed to the Pakistani government to stop the arrest of Afghan refugees "as it can adversely impact bilateral relations between the two countries, reported Tolo News.
Taking to Twitter, the Afghanistan embassy in Islamabad said on Thursday that the POR, ACC, and passport holders were among the Afghan citizens detained by the CTD-ISB and other Pakistani agencies. Some Afghan immigrants, who now reside in Pakistan, have criticised the Pakistani government for taking this action saying that the Pakistani police abuse them regardless of the fact that they have valid documentation, as per a report published in Tolo News. Tolo News is an Afghan news channel broadcasting from Kabul, Afghanistan. An Afghan immigrant in Pakistan said, "The apprehension of Afghans is being continued in the cities. They are being harassed and detained, even those who have legal documents." An activist for the rights of Afghan immigrants in Pakistan, Sediq Kargar, said, "Those who lack visas are facing major fines. Those who want their visas extended should pay heavy fines." Afghan nationals are being detained in Pakistan under the guise of participating in recent anti-Pakistan protests, claimed Hafiz Zia Ahmad Takal, the deputy spokesman for the foreign ministry. The deputy spokesman requested that the Pakistani government stop the practice of detaining Afghan immigrants there and permit them to continue living there normally, according to Tolo News. Takal said, "Some Afghans were detained due to excuses that they were involved in recent protests. We call on the Pakistani government to not make problems for the Afghans." According to the Afghan consulate in Karachi, 2,367 immigrants, including women and children, have already been released from Sindh province's jails. 274 Afghans are detained in Sindh state prisons, according to Abdul Jabar Takhari, the general consul of Afghanistan in Karachi, who also indicated that efforts are being undertaken to liberate them. Takhari noted, "274 inmates remained in the prisons. Efforts are underway to release them soon. Women are among them." Nearly 8 million Afghans live in Pakistan and Iran, according to some figures, and there have occasionally been allegations of Afghan immigrants being abused by the forces of these two countries, Tolo News reported. (ANI)
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