Out of insecurity into uncertainty

Islamabad:While fleeing Afghanistan six months ago over growing insecurity under Taliban rule, Suita Sadat had hoped for early resettlement in the West.

However, the young Afghan journalist is now falling into despair. Camped out on the green belt near parliament in Islamabad along with her family and many others at-risk Afghan nationals, she has got so frustrated with delays in the processing of her resettlement application that she bemoaned that should be killed to put her out of her misery.

“If my early resettlement [in any of the western countries] is not possible, I should be put to death," she told 'The News' sitting forlornly during a demonstration at D-Chowk. Suita Sadat said she had crossed into Pakistan after being threatened with death by the Taliban administration several times over protests against a ban on girls’ education and other restrictions on women, and won’t return.

Like her, the other Afghans seeking asylum or resettlement in the West, especially the US, are educated professionals and speak Dari, the Afghan dialect of Persian. They often take to the streets wearing white shrouds inscribed with the slogan ‘kill us’.

A development expert, who requested anonymity, said she left Afghanistan over joblessness and growing insecurity due to her previous association with foreign NGOs. Frustrated by a lack of international support, she said she didn't know when the plight of Afghans stranded in Pakistan would be recognised and addressed by the world and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. "I'm out of insecurity into uncertainty," she said.

The Afghan woman, who has three children, said most Afghans had applied for the US immigration provision, Humanitarian Parole, and since the decision by the US Embassy on their applications faced delays, they resorted to street protests for speedy action.

She also complained about militant attacks against Muslim minorities in her country. Some families complained about a lack of proper accommodation, unemployment, and escalating prices of essential goods in Pakistan and demanded refugee status to avail themselves of the financial and other assistance from the local authorities.

Fayyaz Ahmed, the spokesperson for the protesters, insisted that vulnerable Afghans fled their country as the Taliban administration denied them the right to freedom, education, and livelihood and failed to ensure their socioeconomic protection as well as security.

"We [Afghan protesters] demand the western countries, which advocate equal rights for people, help us win this fight for survival," he said. He said the families seeking immigration to the West totalled over 1,500.

When contacted, a staff member of the Afghan Embassy in Islamabad insisted that Afghans didn't face any threat to their life or rights in their country on a religious or ethnic basis as the Taliban government was ensuring their protection by all means.

Qaiser Khan Afridi of the UNHCR Pakistan told ‘The News’ that the D Chowk protest was driven by frustration and anxiety among Afghans, who reached Pakistan in recent months.

“We [UN refugee agency] are currently discussing with the Pakistani government the way forward on registration and documentation of asylum-seekers. There might be delays in the process, which we systematically convey through our communication with communities. We hope that with the continuous engagement and support of the government of Pakistan, the current challenges will be addressed,” he said.

Chief Commissioner for Afghan Refugees Muhammad Saleem Khan insisted that since the Afghan protesters weren’t recognised by Pakistan as refugees, his office couldn’t offer any help to them.

“We [Commissionerate Afghan Refugees] will step in only after the status of these Afghans is changed from visa holders to refugees,” he said. When contacted by email, Heather G Eaton, spokesperson for the US Embassy in Islamabad, said her country had provided refuge to tens of thousands of Afghans and was planning to resettle thousands more.

"In addition to those already transported to the United States, we are working to relocate additional Afghans currently in third countries who qualify based on their confirmed affiliation with the United States," she said.

The US embassy's spokesperson said her country appreciated the good coordination it had with Pakistan in facilitating the movement of Afghans, who were affiliated with the US government through Pakistan, to it.