Afghan artistes move PHC against forced expulsion

PESHAWAR: At least 394 Afghan artistes and singers moved the Peshawar High Court (PHC) against the forced expulsion policy of the government of Pakistan.

In the petition, the federal government, the federal interior secretary, Federal Investigation Agency, NADRA and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief secretary have been made respondents. Zakia Dunia, Himat Gul, and other petitioners filed the writ petition through lawyer Jabir Khan.

The petition stated that the applicants were Afghan artistes and singers, who were currently living in Peshawar as refugees. After the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan, it became extremely dangerous for them to continue working as actors or singers, because the current Taliban government had declared that it would not tolerate musical gatherings in any form.

Due to this situation, the petitioners fled Afghanistan with their families in fear and sought refuge in Pakistan.The writ added that the petitioners had formally registered with UNHCR as refugees. In 2023, the government formulated a new policy for the repatriation of refugees, while in 1993 UNHCR had already granted Afghan nationals residing in Pakistan the status of refugees, a policy that remained in force. In 2003 it was again agreed that Afghan refugees would continue to reside in Pakistan until durable peace was restored in Afghanistan.

According to the petition, Pakistan is bound by international agreements not to forcibly expel any individual from the country. The government of Pakistan is also obligated to provide basic rights to any foreign national residing within its borders.

However, following the recent decision of the federal government, registered Afghan refugees are also being expelled against their will through crackdowns and operations, during which they are being harassed in various ways.

This, the petition argued, was a violation of fundamental human rights and international agreements.The petition prayed the court to stop the illegal arrest and expulsion of Afghan refugees and direct the concerned authorities not to harass them.