PESHAWAR: A writ petition was filed on Wednesday in the Peshawar High Court (PHC) against the federal government’s policy of arresting and deporting Afghan refugees residing in Pakistan.
The petition was filed by Advocate Moazzam Butt through Advocate Rimsha Ruben.The federal and provincial governments, Afghan Commissionerate, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police chief, commissioner for Afghan refugees, and others were named respondents.
The petition stated that Afghan refugees began arriving in Pakistan after 1979. They were registered with the state in collaboration with the United Nations.According to the petition, Afghan refugees were issued Proof of Registration (PoR) cards and Afghan Citizen Cards (ACC), and several international agreements were also made regarding their status.
However, the federal government later directed all Afghan nationals to leave Pakistan, and a large number have already returned to native country.The petition contended that Afghan refugees are currently being detained under the Foreigners Act, including those holding PoR and ACC cards, despite their legal status. It argues that such arrests are unlawful.The petitioner requested the court to declare the arrest of PoR and ACC cardholders illegal and to order the release of Afghan refugees detained allegedly unlawfully.
