An Afghan refugee’s appeal to Pakistan’s prime minister

[TMA]

Right...I'm not worried about what the world would say...I know that their stay was to be temporary...and had it been JUST AFGHANS...I would say no problem...send them all back.

My argument is for the Pakistanis...those Afghans who are not found to be against Pak(not involved in anti Pak activities)...and have Pakistani families(spouses/children)...if they are sent back...
What are we to do with their Pakistani family members? Hold their Pakistani family members back in Pakistan and tear apart families? Or send these Pakistanis to Afghanistan(which u say is safe according to India)?

Obviously any Afghan(whether refugee or illegal immigrant), if he/she has no Pakistani family members should be sent back right away...but it's a little more complicated in case of those who have families here.

The complexities like marriage, family, etc. are there whether we like it or not. They are not a separate issue and have to be addressed when deporting someone out of the country. Which option would u pick? Would u only send back Afghanis and hold back their Pakistani family members? Or would u also send their Pakistani family members to Afghanistan?

So the Pakistani family members have a choice. They either stay here or go with their Afghan family member. It is a very hard choice. But unless they were forced into the marriage....Just imagine if a Pakistan man committed a crime and he received the 30 years on prison or the death penalty... what about his family members, won't their family life be destroyed? Now you can argue that being a refugee is not a crime...and I would say as long as it was within the framework of Pakistani law yes...but remember a refugee is not a legal resident, he is meant to return to his homeland.

Above all else one must cast aside individual sympathies...of course it is in the interests of Afghans to get citizenship. I do not blame them. But is it in the interests of Pakistan to acquiesce? My answer is a NO. (Of course there are exceptions but they are exactly that, exceptions). Of course being given a legal status like legal resident is much better than citizenship and much better than an illegal refugee.

Anyone who lives in Pakistan for 10 years... should get citizenship.
Those born in Pakistan, if lived 5 years should be given citizenship.
Those Afghans, whom Zardari regime imported and even gave them ID cards during his rule, such Afghans should be arrested along with Zardari and Rehman Malik.

Even if that Afghan who was born and bred in Pakistan but in the case of a border skirmish is with Afghanistan?

Length of stay or birth place is not a marker for loyalty. Look at Pakistanis! Why add to this burden of giving Afghan refugees citizenship?

 

[Kabira]

Do not worry afghan refugee. You will be settled back in Afghanistan with dignity.

 

[Cookie Monster]

There is absolutely no way to find out whether an Afghan living inside Pakistan is anti-state or otherwise. It is mission impossible. That should however not serve as the gauge to repatriate Afghans. The real gauge is that Afghan refugees had a temporary stay in Pakistan. Time has come for Afghans to return to Afghanistan and rebuild their own nation. Time is up.

Those Pakistani family members who married Afghan nationals brought it upon themselves. They should have known better. More importantly, why did these individuals marry an Afghan fully knowing he/she belongs to a hostile nation which dislikes our state and even claims our territory? I have some serious questions about the loyalty of such Pakistanis. They have no issues with getting married to hostile Afghans, but cry rivers when Pakistan has to send them back.

My solution is to send such Pakistanis along with their Afghan wife or husband.

It's a bit unfair to apply our current knowledge/circumstances/developments to the time about 30 years back and judge ppl based on that. U r correct that Afghanistan has always claimed Pak territory and disliked Pak...but after the Soviet invasion when Pak created the Mujahideen along with the west, we also created this image of brotherhood with them...

Whether it was to recruit some Pakistanis to join in the fight...or maybe it was to get mass support from Afghanis for the Mujahideen movement so they would see Pakistan as their brothers and join the struggle against Soviets...or maybe it was necessary bcuz it was the need of the hour with Soviet Union sitting in our backyard...or perhaps it was our naivety(or stupidity) to promote that image just bcuz Afghanis are Muslims(predominantly) and were occupied by Soviets...

Whatever the case was...the point is during those times the image created for Afghanis was different. So it's hard to fault Pakistani ppl and question their loyalty who married them then(around the time period of Soviet invasion and shortly afterward).

Moreover if we consider specially women(Pakistani) who were probably married off to some of these Afghans without having a say...should we fault them too? Bcuz they were just married off by their family to some Afghan refugee(based on tribal relations perhaps?)...now they must go to Afghanistan and live in that hell hole? This is why I'm advocating stopping all current and future illegal immigration...and as for the ones already here...investigate and decide on a case by case basis.

So the Pakistani family members have a choice. They either stay here or go with their Afghan family member. It is a very hard choice. But unless they were forced into the marriage....Just imagine if a Pakistan man committed a crime and he received the 30 years on prison or the death penalty... what about his family members, won't their family life be destroyed? Now you can argue that being a refugee is not a crime...and I would say as long as it was within the framework of Pakistani law yes...but remember a refugee is not a legal resident, he is meant to return to his homeland.

Above all else one must cast aside individual sympathies...of course it is in the interests of Afghans to get citizenship. I do not blame them. But is it in the interests of Pakistan to acquiesce? My answer is a NO. (Of course there are exceptions but they are exactly that, exceptions). Of course being given a legal status like legal resident is much better than citizenship and much better than an illegal refugee.

Other solutions can be worked on as well...like u mention of granting the status of legal resident rather than citizenship.

I'm not dead set on giving them citizenship...I'm all for finding a solution that doesn't involve condemning Pakistani family members of Afghans to a life in Afghanistan.

 

[RescueRanger]

I first left Afghanistan, and crossed over into Pakistan, in 1988. Back then, I was running; afraid for my life, leaving behind a bloody war. My wife and two young children journeyed with me for days. Everything I had ever owned, I had now left behind in the country of my birth.

Pakistan was an alien country to me. I had neither a roof over my head not a penny to my name. In order to make ends meet, and to feed my family, I worked various jobs in Peshawar. By the time I had two more children, I had collected enough money to open a small electric appliance store on Peshawar’s Dalazak road.

All four of my children were raised here, in Pakistan. Two were even born here. For them, and for me, Pakistan is now home.

Well, at least that is what we thought.

In the last few years, officers have been visiting our residence. They tell us that we must go back to Afghanistan – the country I left 30 years ago. Asking me to return to Afghanistan is like forcing me to walk on fire.

Don’t get me wrong, I’ve visited my country of birth several times in the past for a wedding or a funeral. But every time I went I left like a stranger in a strange land. I have my roots in Pakistan now. My shop is here. My children have only known Pakistan. Why should they have to leave their country and live in mine?

Last month, someone told me about a speech our Prime Minister Imran Khan made. He promised to grant citizenship to the million or so Afghan refugees and Bengalis living in Pakistan for decades. I heard he said that all those born in the country will be given passports. It was exciting news. My uncertainty was almost over. A few days later, I heard that the prime minister hesitated when asked again about the right of citizenship. I heard that he would no longer be able to deliver on his promise.

Prime Minister, I do not have the means to restart a life in Afghanistan. Pakistan is my Garden of Eden. My paradise. Please don’t take it away from me.

Peshawar's Afghan Colony

There are so many others like me. Peshawar’s dusty Afghan Colony is overpopulated with similar stories. They are poor. They fled a war in the 80s and have worked hard since then to set up small businesses such as grocery and leather shops and kiosks.

Several times in a week, the police show up and arrest the men. It has been an endless cycle of harassment and confusion.

Pakistan was once an alien country to me. Today, it is home. But now I and my children are the aliens. Is that fair?





https://www.geo.tv/latest/212517-pr...en-please-dont-take-it-away-an-afghan-refugee

 

[SQ8]

I sympathize, but this man still needs to go back. Unlike other refugee programs, there is no asylum granted with an official citizenship or permanent resident status. So please, go back and leave our garden and return to fix yours that your generation abandoned to the soviets and the current generations wants India to be in. India is our mortal enemy and as long as you let them hit us you are too, so leave our gardens and leave whatever you earned from
It here too.

 

[AMMT]

No one is going anywhere. Everyone stay. We should seal all our border and start cleaning corrupts, mafias and murderers.

By the time we will finish with them, we will have enough space for others.

 

[Kambojaric]

What do these Afghans need to do? Go to their closest Afghan embassy/consulate and demand that the Kabul government grow some sense and improve ties with Pakistan. Thats the only tangible way in which they can positively impact their current situation.

 

[jupiter2007]

Creating a process of identifying who is who?
Government can simply ask refugees to submit a form so they can be added in to database, once government has all the information, it will be easy to create a query to group them for legalization process.

A form with the same or similar fields as visa form can be creating for this process.
—————————————————
Applicant Full Name:

If known by another or previous name:

Address: (please provide addresses for last 10 years, if applicant moved to multiple different places)

D.O.B : Age:
Place of Birth: (city, Country)
Nationality:
Home Country:
Gender:
Education:
Profession:
Job history:
Legal status: Refugee/ asylum seeker / migrant worker
If Refugee put refugees assigned number.
If Asylum seeker put government assigned number.
If migtant worker put work authorization number.

—————————————————
Father Full Name:
Father D.OB :
Father place of birth:
Father nationality :
Father Address:

Mother Full Name:
Mother D.OB :
Mother place of birth:
Mother nationality:
Mother Address:

—————————————————

 

[Clutch]

I first left Afghanistan, and crossed over into Pakistan, in 1988. Back then, I was running; afraid for my life, leaving behind a bloody war. My wife and two young children journeyed with me for days. Everything I had ever owned, I had now left behind in the country of my birth.

Pakistan was an alien country to me. I had neither a roof over my head not a penny to my name. In order to make ends meet, and to feed my family, I worked various jobs in Peshawar. By the time I had two more children, I had collected enough money to open a small electric appliance store on Peshawar’s Dalazak road.

All four of my children were raised here, in Pakistan. Two were even born here. For them, and for me, Pakistan is now home.

Well, at least that is what we thought.

In the last few years, officers have been visiting our residence. They tell us that we must go back to Afghanistan – the country I left 30 years ago. Asking me to return to Afghanistan is like forcing me to walk on fire.

Don’t get me wrong, I’ve visited my country of birth several times in the past for a wedding or a funeral. But every time I went I left like a stranger in a strange land. I have my roots in Pakistan now. My shop is here. My children have only known Pakistan. Why should they have to leave their country and live in mine?

Last month, someone told me about a speech our Prime Minister Imran Khan made. He promised to grant citizenship to the million or so Afghan refugees and Bengalis living in Pakistan for decades. I heard he said that all those born in the country will be given passports. It was exciting news. My uncertainty was almost over. A few days later, I heard that the prime minister hesitated when asked again about the right of citizenship. I heard that he would no longer be able to deliver on his promise.

Prime Minister, I do not have the means to restart a life in Afghanistan. Pakistan is my Garden of Eden. My paradise. Please don’t take it away from me.

Peshawar's Afghan Colony

There are so many others like me. Peshawar’s dusty Afghan Colony is overpopulated with similar stories. They are poor. They fled a war in the 80s and have worked hard since then to set up small businesses such as grocery and leather shops and kiosks.

Several times in a week, the police show up and arrest the men. It has been an endless cycle of harassment and confusion.

Pakistan was once an alien country to me. Today, it is home. But now I and my children are the aliens. Is that fair?





https://www.geo.tv/latest/212517-pr...en-please-dont-take-it-away-an-afghan-refugee

These born afghan refigees must join the pakistan armed forces and serve on the Afghan front and kill a few Afghan terrorists.... Only then should they be granted citizenship!

 

[Baby Leone]

i guess its a trick by IK to get the actual data of illegals living in Pakistan as only 30 to 40% get registered. Now he will ask all to get registered if they want to get Pakistani Citizenship and when the data is gathered then he will delay it hopefully.

 

[TMA]

These born afghan refigees must join the pakistan armed forces and serve on the Afghan front and kill a few Afghan terrorists.... Only then should they be granted citizenship!

I would say defend Pakistan on the border from Afghanistan. Killing ought not to be a criteria. Unless they had to as part of their duty.

i guess its a trick by IK to get the actual data of illegals living in Pakistan as only 30 to 40% get registered. Now he will ask all to get registered if they want to get Pakistani Citizenship and when the data is gathered then he will delay it hopefully.

I don't think Imran is that sly.

It's a bit unfair to apply our current knowledge/circumstances/developments to the time about 30 years back and judge ppl based on that. U r correct that Afghanistan has always claimed Pak territory and disliked Pak...but after the Soviet invasion when Pak created the Mujahideen along with the west, we also created this image of brotherhood with them...

Whether it was to recruit some Pakistanis to join in the fight...or maybe it was to get mass support from Afghanis for the Mujahideen movement so they would see Pakistan as their brothers and join the struggle against Soviets...or maybe it was necessary bcuz it was the need of the hour with Soviet Union sitting in our backyard...or perhaps it was our naivety(or stupidity) to promote that image just bcuz Afghanis are Muslims(predominantly) and were occupied by Soviets...

Whatever the case was...the point is during those times the image created for Afghanis was different. So it's hard to fault Pakistani ppl and question their loyalty who married them then(around the time period of Soviet invasion and shortly afterward).

Moreover if we consider specially women(Pakistani) who were probably married off to some of these Afghans without having a say...should we fault them too? Bcuz they were just married off by their family to some Afghan refugee(based on tribal relations perhaps?)...now they must go to Afghanistan and live in that hell hole? This is why I'm advocating stopping all current and future illegal immigration...and as for the ones already here...investigate and decide on a case by case basis.

Other solutions can be worked on as well...like u mention of granting the status of legal resident rather than citizenship.

I'm not dead set on giving them citizenship...I'm all for finding a solution that doesn't involve condemning Pakistani family members of Afghans to a life in Afghanistan.

One has to understand that (some) families will be ripped apart.
There is no two ways about this.
If the Afghan refugee turned legal resident does crime or antistatic activities, then what?!
There will be a certain number of them involved in crime and or antistate activities.

Also what about requesting the Afghan men to join the military and work on the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan?

 

[lastofthepatriots]

Pakistanis on this forum are sick. Most of the ones badmouthing Afghans live abroad, and I'd love to see their reaction when their asses get kicked out from other nations. It would be hilarious. Any Afghan that has entered Pakistan post 2004 should not be allowed citizenship, but before that they are welcome in my view.

 

[TMA]

Pakistanis on this forum are sick. Most of the ones badmouthing Afghans live abroad, and I'd love to see their reaction when their asses get kicked out from other nations. It would be hilarious. Any Afghan that has entered Pakistan post 2004 should not be allowed citizenship, but before that they are welcome in my view.

Stop looking at it like this.
Look at it from the national interests of Pakistan.
I have said in other threads that it is in the material interests of Afghans to get citizenship. I do not blame them.
But is it in the interests of Pakistan?

If the UK passed a law tomorrow saying that we intend to repatriate Pakistanis as we feel that it is in Britains best interests, of course the Pakistanis will be upset but we would go! And those who stayed would become "illegals".
I do not expect the Afghan refugees to be happy about going. But Pakistan needs to look out for her interests. Afghanistan needs to look out for hers.

Length of stay or place of birth does not prove loyalty. And Pakistan has trouble with Pakistanis being loyal. Why add to this burden by making Afghans citizens?

 

[padamchen]

I sympathize, but this man still needs to go back. Unlike other refugee programs, there is no asylum granted with an official citizenship or permanent resident status. So please, go back and leave our garden and return to fix yours that your generation abandoned to the soviets and the current generations wants India to be in. India is our mortal enemy and as long as you let them hit us you are too, so leave our gardens and leave whatever you earned from
It here too.

You are confusing me.

I thought you have many Indian brothers whose pain and joy you share.

Yet India is your "mortal enemy" ....

Cheers, Doc

 

[TMA]

Do not worry afghan refugee. You will be settled back in Afghanistan with dignity.

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