Well-known Islamabad-based physicist and writer, Pervez Hoodbhoy, writes in Dawn (November 18,2023) on how Pakistan’s mass deportation of Afghans was wrong and immoral. The move, he argues, was a total failure of Pakistan’s strategic depth doctrine.
Over 1.7 million Afghan refugees are being forcibly expelled from Pakistan, facing a bleak future in their war-torn homeland.
The evictions, ordered by a compliant caretaker government, have sparked outrage and criticism, with many questioning the rationale behind the harsh measures.
Those targeted for deportation include undocumented Afghans as well as those with legal documents, leaving many families torn apart and facing an uncertain future.
The refugees, many of whom have never known Afghanistan and were born on Pakistani soil, are being given a mere 30 days to sell their belongings, limited to carrying only Rs50,000 in cash, and forbidden from taking along their livestock.
Upon crossing the border into Afghanistan, they will face a country ruled by a Taliban regime that has imposed severe restrictions on women’s rights, banned education for girls, and reintroduced brutal punishments such as limb-chopping and stoning to death.
Pakistan’s decision to expel Afghan refugees is rooted in its failed strategic depth doctrine, which aimed to use Afghanistan as a buffer against India.
The doctrine backfired, leading to the rise of the Taliban and the subsequent influx of refugees into Pakistan.
The current caretaker government, seemingly oblivious to the consequences of its actions, is scapegoating innocent refugees for the failures of Pakistan’s foreign policy.
While the government claims to be protecting Pakistan’s ideological frontiers, it is instead undermining the very principles upon which the nation was founded.
The expulsion of Afghan refugees exposes the inherent contradictions within a state created on the basis of religious identity.
Pakistan must find a more humane and sustainable solution to the refugee crisis, one that respects human rights and dignity.
At a minimum, those born in Pakistan must be granted citizenship, and a simplified documentation process must be implemented to prevent further displacement.
The international community must also play a role in addressing this crisis, ensuring that the rights of Afghan refugees are protected and that Pakistan is held accountable for its actions.
For the complete op-ed, read Dawn here– https://www.dawn.com/news/1790340