‘This is our home’: D-day for Afghans facing Pakistan deportation

By

Al Jazeera

Published On 31 Mar 2025

Islamabad, Pakistan – Pakistan is the only home Mohammad Laal Khan has known. He was born here. He married here. His children were born here. He buried his eldest brother here.

But a late-night police raid in November last year shattered his sense of belonging.

Khan was born in South Waziristan, a tribal district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a few years after his parents fled the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. Since the 1990s, the family — including Khan’s mother, four brothers, their families, and other relatives — has lived in the suburbs of Pakistan’s capital Islamabad in mud-plastered houses without electricity or other basic utilities.

Now he is on Pakistan’s list for deportation.

“It is as if being an Afghan is a curse upon our existence,” Khan, 36, told Al Jazeera on a recent March afternoon in the same room where dozens of police officers had stormed in, threatening to take away all the men.

Khan says, despite much pleading, four of his brothers were taken away and charged with living in the country “illegally”. Their ordeal ended after two weeks when a court granted them bail.

Now, hundreds of thousands of ACC-holding Afghans like Khan, having spent almost their entire lives in Pakistan, face expulsion from April 1.

“We don’t know anything about Afghanistan. We have lived here all our lives, made friends here, built our businesses here. If the government insists on throwing us out, we will leave, but we will return once again,” Khan said.

“This is our home.”

Pakistan’s deportation plan

Pakistan currently hosts more than 2.5 million Afghans, according to government estimates.

Among them, about 1.3 million possess a Proof of Registration (PoR) card, first introduced in 2006 and issued by the United Nations refugee agency, UNHCR, while another 800,000 hold an ACC, issued in 2017.

These documents were previously recognised as proof of legitimate residence in Pakistan.

Not any more.

In a two-page document issued in January, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s office outlined a three-phase “relocation” plan.

The first phase targets the deportation of all Afghans now viewed as undocumented — including ACC holders. The second phase focuses on PoR cardholders, who have been granted relief to stay until June 2025. The final phase will address Afghan citizens who are awaiting relocation to third countries.

Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry said the government was firm in its stance, despite pleas from the UNHCR and global rights organisations such as Human Rights Watch (HRW) and Amnesty International.

“We have hosted Afghans in the country for four decades, showing our hospitality and generosity, but it cannot continue indefinitely. They will have to return,” he told Al Jazeera.

With the start of this new wave of deportations slated for around Eid — Pakistan celebrates the otherwise festive occasion on March 31 — the deadline has prompted criticism. Many see it as an effort to wrongfully demonise Afghan nationals by linking them to criminal activities.

In recent years, Pakistan has suffered from a series of deadly attacks by armed groups that Islamabad alleges operate from Afghanistan. This has also led to a spike in tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers.

“Pakistani officials should immediately stop coercing Afghans to return home and give those facing expulsion the opportunity to seek protection,” said Elaine Pearson, Asia director at HRW, in a March 19 statement.

Calling the deadline “unyielding and cruel”, Amnesty International also urged Pakistan to reconsider its decision.

“These opaque executive orders contravene the government’s own promises and repeated calls by human rights organizations to uphold the rights of Afghan refugees and asylum seekers,” said Isabelle Lassee, deputy regional director for South Asia at Amnesty International, in a March 26 statement.

But echoing Chaudhry’s sentiments, Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has insisted that the government had “fulfilled its obligations” by hosting Afghans and was not bound to consult the UNHCR.

However, Qaiser Afridi, the spokesperson for the UNHCR, said they are concerned that among the ACC holders, there may be some individuals who may require international protection.

“We are urging the government to see their situation through a humanitarian lens. We also call for engagement between Pakistan and Afghanistan so that their return can be dignified and voluntary,” Afridi told Al Jazeera.

That alone, Afridi said, would ensure that “reintegration in Afghanistan is sustainable”.

‘Why are we being pushed away?’

Originally from Kunduz in Afghanistan, Khan’s family relocated to Islamabad in the early 1990s and has lived there ever since.

Khan’s room has rough, mud-plastered walls enclosing a modest space with folded mattresses, a simple rug, and a few personal belongings.

Sitting quietly in the room was Khan’s mother, Guldana Bibi, 71, with a wrinkled face, deep-set hazel eyes, and a scarf covering her head.

“I have lived in this country for four decades. My children, my grandchildren, were all born here. My husband was my last connection to Afghanistan, and he died years ago. Why are we being pushed away?” she said.

Along with his brothers, Khan ran a wood shuttering business, but twice in the last 10 years – in 2015 and 2023 – they were forced to stop work and sell what they had in their shops due to government crackdowns on Afghans. Khan claims he incurred losses of nearly 1.8 million rupees ($6,400).

“People ask why we haven’t done better economically. My response is, how can you when your life is repeatedly uprooted, or you’re forced to pay bribes just to exist?” Khan said, sitting cross-legged with his arms folded.

“Pakistan and Afghanistan are neighbours. That will never change. But hating each other will solve nothing, nor will sending people back.”

‘This cafe is my life’

Roughly 10km (6 miles) away, in a small but brightly lit and colourfully decorated cafe, Benazir Raofi sat waiting for customers. She has lived in Pakistan for 35 years.

Raofi’s father was part of the Afghan government, and when civil war erupted after the Soviet withdrawal, her family left the country. While her parents and seven siblings were able to leave for India, she was stopped. She was forced to stay back in Afghanistan.

“I was only 12 years old. My uncle took care of me before we eventually moved to Pakistan in December 1990,” Raofi told Al Jazeera.

Raofi says it is the Pakistani people who give her hope. After acquiring her ACC in 2017, she worked for international NGOs as well as a local travel agent.

In 2021, she won a grant for a project for her idea to create a community space for women and children, which eventually turned into an Afghan Women Solidarity Cafe and Restaurant in the summer of that year, before the Taliban took over Kabul.

The walls of the vibrant, but cluttered cafe are adorned with framed certificates, small decorative objects, and artificial vines with flowers. On one of the walls is a large photo of the Darul Aman, a historic three-storey palace in Afghanistan.

“When Afghan nationals come to visit the cafe, it reminds them of home,” Raofi said, with a smile. “I just wanted to provide a space for families, but after the fall of Kabul, my café became a sanctuary for so many Afghans. It not only allowed me to earn an honest living, but also to be helpful to the community,” she added.

However, she now fears what the government might do to ACC holders like her.

“I am a single woman, and I am who I am because of regular, common Pakistanis who have supported, protected and nurtured me,” she said, sipping her kahva, a hot beverage made with green tea leaves, cinnamon, and cardamom.

Raofi, who continues to run the cafe, says despite facing health-related setbacks and even theft at her house two years ago, her life in Pakistan was comfortable, and despite the government’s deportation plan, she was never bothered, nor did she worry.

Until this year.

“Since January, police have come to my cafe twice and told me I cannot work here, and I should leave the city. But why should I? This city is my home for the last 30 years. This cafe is my life,” she said.

With the deportation deadline looming, Raofi admits she has no contingency plan.

“I have no option. I have survived alone. Nobody wants to be a refugee, but what other country can I go to when Pakistan is all I know? I will die here, but I won’t leave.”

Source: Al Jazeera
‘This is our home’: D-day for Afghans facing Pakistan deportation
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Family urges Trump to release US citizen from Taliban Custody

The family of a U.S. citizen urges the Trump administration to secure his release from Taliban custody, demanding swift action.

Following the release of another U.S. citizen from Taliban custody, the family of Mahmood Shah Habibi, an Afghan-American detained by the Taliban for over two and a half years, has urged the Trump administration to intensify efforts for his freedom.

His brother, Ahmad Shah Habibi, expressed deep concern over the lack of information regarding Mahmood’s condition and location. The latest release has renewed hope among detainees’ families but has also highlighted the ongoing plight of Americans still held by the Taliban.

Sources familiar with the matter indicate that senior Taliban figures, including Sirajuddin Haqqani and Abdul Haq Wasiq, are likely aware of Mahmood Shah’s detention. This secrecy has raised concerns among human rights organizations, which have repeatedly called for transparency regarding detainees held in Taliban-controlled prisons. The exact number of U.S. citizens still in Taliban custody remains unclear.

Ahmad Shah Habibi said the U.S. State Department assured them of ongoing talks with the Taliban for Mahmood’s release. He criticized the Taliban for withholding information and blocking communication, adding that reports suggest Mahmood may be in a high-security Kandahar prison under Mullah Haibatullah’s control, he told Afghanistan International.

The recent release of Faye Hall, an American citizen, has drawn further attention to the issue. Hall stated that many female prisoners in Taliban custody see President Donald Trump as their only hope for freedom. This release marks the fourth American freed by the Taliban in 2025, following the earlier releases of Ryan Corbett, William McEntee, and George Glezmann.

According to reports, some of these releases were part of prisoner exchange agreements negotiated in the final days of Joe Biden’s presidency.

The Taliban has reportedly used detained U.S. citizens as leverage in diplomatic negotiations. While multiple Americans have been freed, there is no confirmation that the Taliban has made any formal or informal requests regarding Mahmood Shah’s release. The U.S. State Department has repeatedly expressed concern over American hostages in Afghanistan, reaffirming its commitment to securing their safe return.

In a separate development, following the release of two U.S. citizens, a Taliban foreign ministry spokesperson encouraged American companies to invest in Afghanistan’s mineral sector, particularly in rare earth minerals. Analysts suggest this could be part of the Taliban’s broader strategy to engage economically with the Trump administration while leveraging detained foreigners for political gains.

As the situation unfolds, families of detained Americans continue to seek answers and urge stronger diplomatic action. The U.S. government faces mounting pressure to prioritize the safe return of its citizens while navigating complex negotiations with the Taliban regime.

Family urges Trump to release US citizen from Taliban Custody
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Richard Bennett calls for Justice and Human Rights in Afghanistan’s Eid message

Richard Bennett, the UN Special Rapporteur on Afghanistan, released a message on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr, wishing the people of Afghanistan peace, dignity, and hope.

In his message, stated on the social media platform X on Sunday, March 30, Richard Bennett expressed his best wishes for justice and human rights, hoping that Eid would bring joy, resilience, and strength to the people.

His message comes at a time when Afghanistan continues to face a severe human rights crisis. Since the Taliban regained control of the country, widespread restrictions have been imposed on women and girls. The Taliban have removed women from public life, barred girls from education beyond grade six, and prohibited women from working in international organizations.

These actions have intensified the suppression of fundamental freedoms and have drawn strong reactions from human rights organizations and the international community. Many global bodies have condemned these restrictions and called for the restoration of basic rights for Afghanistan’s citizens, especially women.

Beyond social restrictions, the Taliban have also increased pressure on critics and opposition figures. Arbitrary arrests, suppression of free speech, and threats against civil activists, journalists, and political figures have made Afghanistan one of the most closed-off countries in terms of civil liberties.

Richard Bennett has repeatedly criticized this situation in his previous reports, urging serious action to protect the fundamental rights of the people of Afghanistan, particularly women and minority groups. He has emphasized the need for immediate international intervention to address these human rights violations.

The international community must take more effective steps to support the Afghanistan’s people, particularly women and girls. Diplomatic pressure alone is not enough; practical measures must be implemented to ensure the restoration of fundamental freedoms in Afghanistan.

The future of Afghanistan depends on the commitment of global leaders to uphold human rights and dignity. Without strong efforts to bring change, the hope for freedom and justice in the country will remain in jeopardy.

Richard Bennett calls for Justice and Human Rights in Afghanistan’s Eid message
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Hamid Karzai calls for lifting Education and Job Restrictions on Afghanistan’s women in Eid Message

Former President Hamid Karzai, in an Eid al-Fitr greeting, stressed the need to reopen educational centers for girls and remove work restrictions on women, viewing closed schools and universities as major obstacles to national progress.

In a message posted on his official social media platform X, Karzai congratulated the arrival of Eid al-Fitr and called for the resumption of girls’ education along with the creation of job opportunities for women.

He emphasized that continued limitations on women’s education and employment pose a serious barrier to Afghanistan’s development. According to Karzai, only through science and knowledge can the nation’s youth free themselves from dependency and work toward self-sufficiency.

“The continued restrictions are a serious obstacle to the country’s development,” Karzai stated. “The sons and daughters of this land can only liberate the country from dependency and move toward self-reliance through education and knowledge.”

Since the political shifts in 2021, education beyond grade six for girls and many women’s employment opportunities have faced severe restrictions, drawing widespread domestic and international criticism.

Many political figures, including Karzai, have repeatedly highlighted the urgent need to lift these restrictions, arguing that empowering women through education and work is crucial for the country’s progress.

These calls for change underline the critical need for reforms in Afghanistan’s education and labor sectors to promote progress and gender equality.

As the nation moves forward, lifting these restrictions could pave the way for a more self-reliant and prosperous future for Afghanistan.

Hamid Karzai calls for lifting Education and Job Restrictions on Afghanistan’s women in Eid Message
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Mujahid: Islamic Emirate Continues Efforts for Diplomatic Ties, Recognition

Zabihullah Mujahid told TOLOnews that although efforts have been made by the Islamic Emirate toward recognition.

The spokesperson for the Islamic Emirate, Zabihullah Mujahid, stated that the caretaker government will take practical steps this solar year to revive diplomatic relations with other countries and gain international recognition.

Zabihullah Mujahid told TOLOnews that although efforts have been made by the Islamic Emirate toward recognition, it remains unclear whether countries around the world will recognize the caretaker government during this solar year.

The spokesperson for the Islamic Emirate also emphasized the role of the United Nations in restoring relations between the caretaker government and the international community, urging the organization to take initiatives in this regard.

“Still, it is their responsibility to take fundamental steps in restoring relations between Afghanistan and the world, especially the United Nations, and to value these ties. Afghanistan is an important country for the world and the UN, and the rights of the Afghan people are being undermined in this stance. They should have a better position,” Mujahid told TOLOnews.

Some political analysts believe that the Islamic Emirate must, in addition to safeguarding national interests, also address and respond to the concerns of regional and international countries to pave the way for recognition.

Forming an inclusive government, respecting human rights—especially the rights of women and girls—initiating national dialogue, and combating terrorism and drugs are among the conditions that analysts believe have prevented the Islamic Emirate from being recognized by the international community.

“It is regrettable that the international community has taken no action in the past three and a half years, and the lack of recognition of the Islamic Emirate has caused problems for the people,” said Abdul Sadeq Hamidzoy, a political analyst.

“The recognition of a country is a formal, political, and technical process based on international standards, through which the United Nations can assist developing countries,” said Sayed Ebadullah Sadeq, another political analyst.

Although more than three and a half years have passed since the Islamic Emirate returned to power in Afghanistan and diplomatic relations have been established with several countries including Iran, China, Turkey, Qatar, Uzbekistan, and some others, no country has yet officially recognized the Islamic Emirate.

Mujahid: Islamic Emirate Continues Efforts for Diplomatic Ties, Recognition
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Eid Appeal: Let Girls Return to School, Say Afghan Students

The 1404 academic year began on the first day of the month of Hamal (March 20), but the fate of girls’ education beyond sixth grade remains uncertain.

As the new academic year begins alongside Eid celebrations in Afghanistan, a number of female students have once again called on the Islamic Emirate to reopen secondary and high schools for girls.

These students emphasized the importance of education, stating that girls above the sixth grade and female university students should not be deprived of their right to learn.

Nabina, a 10th-grade student, said she spends her days doing housework to avoid falling into depression from being away from school. “A serious decision must be made about schools because this issue is tied to our future and it’s our right. Our Eid wish from the Islamic Emirate is that they urgently make a decision about girls’ schools,” she said.

Sheila, a student, said: “Education is the right of all girls in Afghanistan. A society can only progress when its girls are educated. That’s why we ask the Islamic Emirate to reopen all schools for all girls in Afghanistan.”

Meanwhile, former President Hamid Karzai, in a meeting with Roza Otunbayeva, head of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, described girls’ education as vital for the country’s future.

A statement from Karzai’s office read: “The former president considered girls’ education crucial for Afghanistan’s future and thanked the United Nations for its support in this regard.”

Zakiullah Mohammadi, a university professor, said: “Obstacles to our sisters’ education must be removed as soon as possible. Whatever barriers exist should be eliminated, and the ground should be prepared for secondary and higher education for our sisters in accordance with Islamic Sharia and Afghan culture.”

The 1404 academic year began on the first day of the month of Hamal (March 20), but the fate of girls’ education beyond sixth grade remains uncertain.

Eid Appeal: Let Girls Return to School, Say Afghan Students
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Pakistan Postpones Afghan Deportations by 10 Days

Meanwhile, the Pakistani newspaper Dawn reported that the Rawalpindi police chief has issued orders to arrest and deport undocumented Afghan migrants.

The Associated Press has reported, based on a document it obtained, that the process of arresting and deporting Afghan migrants from Pakistan has been postponed for another ten days due to the Eid al-Fitr holidays.

Meanwhile, the Pakistani newspaper Dawn reported that the Rawalpindi police chief has issued orders to arrest and deport undocumented Afghan migrants.

According to Dawn, holders of POR (Proof of Registration) cards are allowed to stay in Pakistan until June 30, while holders of ACC (Afghan Citizen Cards) must voluntarily leave the country, otherwise, they will face forced deportation.

“The forced deportation of refugees from Pakistan should be reconsidered. Those who have lived in Pakistan for years deserve an alternative. Pakistan should adopt a new approach that benefits both Pakistan and Afghanistan,” said Nazar Nazari, a refugee rights activist.

“We urge the Pakistani government to change its decision regarding Afghans. Our sons are studying in Pakistan; their education will be disrupted,” said Gul Jamal, an Afghan migrant.

“According to Pakistan’s statements, pressure on migrants is increasing. Those with ACC cards are being returned to their country. This situation has caused anxiety among Afghan migrants who are very upset,” said Malik Awal Shinwari, another Afghan migrant in Pakistan.

However, the UNHCR representative in Pakistan Philippa Candler stated that the forced return of Afghan migrants is not a sustainable solution and benefits no one. She emphasized the need for a multilateral approach and called for joint efforts between the two countries to ensure voluntary repatriation.

Philippa Candler further added that many of those deported from Pakistan in 2023 have returned again.

The UNHCR representative also said: “Sustainable return means creating a peaceful and secure environment in Afghanistan, so refugees don’t have to fear persecution or discrimination when they go back. Afghanistan’s recovery must be supported, particularly in areas like education, healthcare, and jobs, so that refugees – especially women and girls – can reintegrate without facing even more challenges.”

“It’s Eid. People are worried and don’t know how to enjoy this occasion. A statement was published on the UNHCR website stating that Afghanistan and Pakistan should work together to find a solution for Afghan migrants,” said Ehsanullah Ahmadzai, another refugee rights activist.

Meanwhile, the acting minister of refugees and repatriation called on host countries to stop the forced deportation of Afghan migrants.

Mawlawi Abdul Kabir, the acting minister of refugees and repatriations, said: “We ask neighboring countries to prevent the forced expulsion of migrants. It is our responsibility to return all Afghan migrants and internally displaced persons to their original areas.”

Earlier, Amnesty International also called for the immediate cancellation of the forced deportation plan of Afghan migrants from Pakistan.

Pakistan Postpones Afghan Deportations by 10 Days
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Taliban releases American woman detained in Afghanistan

By 

The Washington Post

March 30, 2025
The Taliban released an American citizen, Faye Hall, who was detained in Afghanistan, a former U.S. ambassador said Saturday.

Hall “is now in the care of our friends, the Qataris in Kabul, and will soon be on her way home,” wrote Zalmay Khalilzad, who was a U.S. special representative for Afghanistan reconciliation until 2021 and the former U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan and Iraq.

“Thank you for bringing me home, and I’ve never been so proud to be an American citizen,” Hall said in a video celebrating her release, posted by President Donald Trump on Truth Social.

“I just want you to know, all the women in the Afghan jail, they always ask me, ‘When is Trump coming?’” Hall said in the video, addressing Trump. “They are waiting for you to come and set them free. … Don’t want to forget all those women who are still in jail and don’t have any rights,” she added.

The State Department did not respond immediately to a request for comment.

Earlier this month, Khalilzad announced the release of another American citizen, George Glezmann, who worked as a Delta Air Lines mechanic and had been detained for two years for unknown reasons. Khalilzad called Glezmann’s release a “goodwill gesture” from the Taliban to Trump and the American people and praised Trump for making “the freedom and homecoming of Americans held abroad a high priority.”

In January, President Joe Biden secured the release of two other Americans, Ryan Corbett and William W. McKenty III, who were let go as the Taliban announced a prisoner swap between the U.S. and Afghanistan and after what Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (New Hampshire), the ranking Democrat on the Foreign Relations Committee, called “intense behind-the-scenes efforts by U.S. officials.”

The Taliban at the time identified one freed Afghan prisoner, Khan Mohammed, who it said was arrested in the Afghan province of Nangarhar nearly two decades ago and was serving a life sentence in California.

Corbett, a father from New York, ran a social enterprise organization that worked with NGOs to help Afghan citizens start their own businesses. He was detained by the Taliban for nearly two and a half years, according to his family, who say they suspect he was taken into custody to be used as political leverage.

Last year, members of Congress called for the release of U.S. citizen and civil aviation engineer Mahmood Habibi, who they said “was wrongfully detained by the Taliban.” In a House resolution, officials said Habibi was arrested in August 2022 because the Taliban “made an assumption” that his employer — a Kabul-based telecommunications company — “might have been involved” in a U.S. drone strike on Kabul that killed an al-Qaeda leader.

Habibi has yet to be released. In August, the FBI made a public request for any further information about his disappearance.

Taliban releases American woman detained in Afghanistan
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‘It means death’: Afghan women’s rights activists face deportation from Pakistan

Under a draconian policy, the Pakistan government has pledged to deport millions of Afghan nationals, after relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan severely deteriorated and attacks by militants in the border areas surged.

Pakistan government ministers have accused Afghans of being “terrorists” and “traitors” who are fuelling crime and militancy in the country.

Pakistan began deportations of Afghan refugees in September 2023. According to a recent report by Amnesty International, so far at least 844,499 Afghan nationals have been forcibly deported back to Afghanistan where they are at “real risk of persecution by the Taliban”.Among those facing the threat of returning to Taliban-ruled Afghanistan are 60 female activists and human rights defenders, who fled persecution after they spoke out for women’s rights and education or attended protests. Many have been forced into hiding in recent weeks, as police have been going door-to-door in the cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi, arbitrarily arresting any Afghans and allegedly demanding huge bribes.

Humaira Alim worked as a women’s rights and education activist in Afghanistan for seven years before the Taliban came back to power in 2021. After women were deprived of the right to work and then attend university under the group’s strict Islamic rule, she was among a group of women who defied the Taliban and helped organise protests on the streets.

She has stayed in Islamabad ever since, living with her two young children on a visa that has been given monthly. Alim described her situation as an “awful nightmare”, as all Afghan nationals – even those who had lived in Pakistan for decades – were now facing routine persecution and harassment from the police. She and her children were recently forced to hide on the roof of their home as officers came looking for them.

“If they send me back to Afghanistan, it only means death,” she said. “The Taliban have records on me and my activism. There is no place for women like me. They only arrest and torture us. I can’t go back there with my children.”

Alim said she knew dozens of other Afghan women like her, who had worked as activists, lawyers and human rights defenders and faced harassment or torture at the hands of the Taliban, who were now in hiding in Pakistan.

Liliana Harrington, senior campaigner for Avaaz, an organisation that has been advocating for the women, said: “Deporting these people to the Taliban is a death sentence. Pakistan would not only abandon these brave people to their oppressors but also abandon its proud legacy of protecting vulnerable Afghans.”

The Pakistan government has given all undocumented Afghan nationals a deadline of 31 March to leave the country, otherwise they will be arrested. Alim said she and other female activists were just asking for more time, to find a third country who might be able to offer them asylum. Currently, they are waiting to see if they get an offer from Brazil or if other countries will offer them a safe haven.

The widespread expulsion drew condemnation from Isabelle Lassee, Amnesty’s deputy regional director for south Asia. “The Pakistani authorities are violating the rights of Afghan refugees with impunity, subjecting them to arbitrary decisions that are shrouded in secrecy, totally lacking transparency and accountability,” she said.

‘It means death’: Afghan women’s rights activists face deportation from Pakistan
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The Taliban leader says there is no need for Western laws in Afghanistan

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

The Taliban leader said Sunday there was no need for Western laws in Afghanistan and that democracy was dead as long as sharia laws are in effect.

Hibatullah Akhundzada made the comments in a sermon marking the Islamic holiday of Eid Al-Fitr, in the southern city of Kandahar’s Eidgah Mosque. The 50-minute audio of his message was published on X by the Taliban government’s chief spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid.

“There is no need for laws that originate from the West. We will create our own laws,” Akhundzada said, speaking in Pashto, while emphasizing the importance of Islamic laws.

The Taliban’s interpretation of sharia has led to bans on Afghan women and girls, who have been excluded them from education, many jobs and most public spaces. Such measures have isolated the Taliban on the world stage, although they have established diplomatic ties with countries including China and the United Arab Emirates.

Akhundzada has taken a stronger hand in directing policy since the Taliban seized control of the country in 2021, despite some officials initially promising a more moderate rule.

Akhundzada on Sunday criticized the West, saying non-believers had united against Muslims and that the U.S. and others were united in their hostility toward Islam, citing the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.

Democracy had come to an end in Afghanistan and sharia was in effect, he said, adding that supporters of democracy were trying to separate the people from the Taliban government.

The Taliban have no credible opposition inside or outside the country, but some senior figures within the administration have criticized the leadership’s decision-making process and concentration of power in Akhundzada’s circle.

Some Taliban want greater engagement with the international community and scrapping harsher policies to attract more outside support. In recent months, however, there has been increased engagement between the Taliban and the U.S. under President Donald Trump, mostly because of prisoner exchanges and releases.

 

The Taliban leader says there is no need for Western laws in Afghanistan
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