Afghan refugees to remain confined in camps near borders, 'not allowed to sneak': Pakistan

As the Taliban continues to gain power on the ground in Afghanistan with the US ramping up its troop withdrawal, a Pakistan minister has stated that the Imran Khan-led government will not let the Afghan refugees sneak into cities and would continue to keep them in confinement in refugee camps around the border areas. Pakistan’s Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said on July 12 in a joint press conference with an adviser to the Prime Minister on Accountability Mirza Shahzad Akbar and Minister for Energy Hammad Azhar clarified the government’s plans regarding Afghan refugees especially when the Afghan troops are appearing to have weakened with extremist group’s control in major provinces.

"In case the Afghans sought refuge in Pakistan, the government would not allow them to sneak into cities and would confine them to refugee camps to be established in the Pak-Afghan border areas," Chaudhry said on Monday, as per ANI.  

Pakistan government’s remarks came when just last week the United States Central Command said that the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan is 90% complete and the US President Joe Biden has said it was complete by August 31. While US top commander in Afghanistan Austin Miller has now stepped down, he has also warned that the war-stricken country might be on the path to civil war as Washington and its allies have moved on with retracting the military. 

Meanwhile, as the Taliban has already conquered 85% of the country, Afghanistan has reiterated its call for Pakistan to end its support to the extremist group who are adamant about destroying the gains by the Afghan government in the last 10 years. Afghanistan Ambassador to India Farid Mamundzay speaking to ANI said, "We have from time to time said the presence of shuras in Quetta and Peshawar and elsewhere in Pakistan has been something of great concern to us.”

“Their families still live there. You may remember that the Taliban delegation visiting for a consultation to Pakistan. So yes they have the support infrastructure currently present in Pakistan. We would want to see that changed,” he added.

Afghan's War 'Not Won By Military'

Earlier, White House press secretary Jen Psaki on July 8 (local time) has said that the United States military withdrawal from Afghanistan is not a “mission accomplished” moment. She also confessed on Thursday that the “war that has not been won militarily” as extremist group Taliban continues to bag wins on the ground against the Afghan troops who are reportedly fleeing borders for safety. Psaki said, “We're not going to have a 'mission accomplished' moment in this regard. It's a 20-year war that has not been won militarily.”

IMAGE: AP/PTI