Islamabad (correspondent): Afghan citizens have been protesting in Islamabad against the US government and its allies since the fall of Kabul. Advocate Pir Fida Hussain Hashmi filed a petition at Islamabad high court seeking clarification from the authorities (Ministry of Foreign Office and Interior) on the legal position & authenticity for protesting of the Afghan people/refugees in Pakistan for seeking asylum & visa from USA Embassy. Petitioner Hashmi demanded that these Afghan protestors should be removed because the such gathering in Islamabad near Red Zone is alarming and threatening. The US Embassy and other concerned authorities have not taken any step to overcome their demands.
Petitioner argued that after the exit of American, NATO and other Allied forces from Afghanistan, the circumstances & demography of the region has drastically changed and in the current situation when Pakistan is already facing turmoil and threat of terrorism from the different segments, this country cannot afford such like a protest in the capital city. In such a scenario the gathering of Afghan protestors in Islamabad near the Red Zone is alarming and threatening but the concerned authorities have not taken any step and even allowed them to be assembled in the green belt near the residential area of ICT, Advocate Hashmi added.
In the petition, it is argued that the Ministry of Foreign Office and Ministry of Interior are responsible to assist the court that under what law the grievances of Afghan people regarding seeking asylum and visas to the USA can be enforced at the American Embassy in Pakistan & what agreement? Advocate Hashmi further argued that both ministries are responsible authorities and they have to clarify the agreement, treaty or commitment before this honourable court if executed for such right of asylum for the USA or any other country & guarantee for the protection of life and what is the validity & authenticity in the eyes of law?
It is also a matter of fact that these Afghans are suffering too much here, they have no access to the basic sanitation facilities, health facilities, or source of income to ration for everyday supplies and due to the reasons adults, women, young kids, infants are affected day by day and the entire saga is wreaking havoc in the locality and is tantamount to ‘public nuisance’.
Background
In August 2021, after the complete withdrawal of American forces from Afghanistan a large number of people along with their families came to Islamabad without any legal documentation or permission. These Afghan refugees had occupied the green belt area of sector F-6 in the garb of seeking asylum in the United States of America (USA) (Not Pakistan) against protesting the American Embassy. Afghan people claimed that they were promised a ‘safe exit’ from Afghanistan to the USA.
It is estimated that over one hundred thousand Afghans moved to Pakistan at the time of Kabul’s fall, which mostly moved to other countries, but around forty thousand are still residing in Pakistan. Approximately five thousand Afghan refugees are in Islamabad, and those are the people who protesting here.
