(Ottawa) The federal government is urged to intervene amid reports that Pakistan is set to arrest and deport Afghan refugees, many of whom are waiting to come to Canada.
In August 2021, the Liberal government promised to welcome 40,000 Afghans fleeing their country to escape the Taliban. This includes thousands of Afghans with ties to Canada, including former interpreters who served alongside the Canadian Armed Forces.
To date, only some 27,000 Afghan refugees have arrived in Canada, and thousands are still in Pakistan waiting to hear when they can leave.
The Pakistani government has set December 31 as the departure deadline for foreigners without visas or whose visas have expired. Beyond this date, offenders risk being arrested and deported. Some fear that if returned to Afghan territory, they risk persecution or death at the hands of the Taliban.
“This threat will worsen what is already one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises,” said Wendy Cukier of Lifeline Afghanistan, an organization that helps bring Afghan refugees to Canada.
“Canada must use all the means at its disposal—diplomacy, humanitarian aid, even trade negotiations and economic partnerships—to persuade Pakistan to work with it to solve this problem,” she said. added.
The Canadian government has received a guarantee from Pakistan that the Afghans will not be arrested or deported after the December 31 deadline, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada spokeswoman Isabelle Dubois said on Friday.
“Although there have been concerns that some Afghan refugees may be returned to Afghanistan or imprisoned after December 31, the Pakistani government has indicated that the only action taken against foreigners who overstay their visas will be reimposition of fines and the possibility of being blacklisted preventing their return to Pakistan,” she said.
She added that federal authorities appreciate the Government of Pakistan’s continued efforts “to facilitate the safe passage of Afghan refugees to Canada”, and that the Government continues to advocate for “simplified procedures and enhanced protections for refugees”. vulnerable Afghans”.
Reported police raids
All of this remains cold comfort for New Democratic Party (NDP) immigration critic Jenny Kwan, who said she has warned the government of the deadline since Pakistan first announced its plan. in October.
Mme Kwan pointed out that reports were circulating about the beginning of a crackdown by the Pakistani authorities against the Afghans. The country’s police have reportedly checked foreigners’ visas and made arrests, evidence they say of the current threat.
“The situation on the ground for people trying to escape Taliban persecution is not at all reassuring,” she added. The reality is that they live in fear every day”.
The spokeswoman said she personally received text messages that Pakistani police had raided a hotel where Afghan refugees were staying.
“I am told that the only way to avoid these arrests is to pay big bribes,” she said, adding that the refugees did not have the resources to provide this kind of support. amount.
The federal government has been repeatedly criticized for the pace at which it is bringing Afghan refugees to Canada, and many view the delays as a lack of urgency.
Mme Kwan echoed Mr.me Cukier, who urges Ottawa to exert all possible pressure on Pakistan not to act by the December 31 deadline, in addition to stepping up its resettlement efforts.
“There are people who have served Canada, they are the relatives of people who have put their lives in danger serving the country, and now the Taliban are aggressively hunting them down,” she said. The government must keep its promise to bring these Afghans to safety.”