United Kingdom (Parliament Politic Magazine) – Numerous individuals, including those who provided assistance to or worked with the UK government in Afghanistan and fled the Taliban, are currently residing in Pakistan, anxiously awaiting their relocation to the UK.
Charities report that some of these refugees have been enduring an extended wait, exceeding one year. Earlier this month, Pakistan announced its intention to commence deporting illegal migrants from November 1st.
Initiating Afghan Refugee Charter Flights from Pakistan
Among the Afghan refugees sheltered in Pakistan are former translators who assisted the British Army and educators affiliated with the British Council, all participants in either the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme or the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy.”
All of them traveled to Pakistan in response to the UK government’s request to begin the visa processing for their new life in the UK.
However, a significant number of these refugees have seen their visas expire. According to a risk assessment document presented in court, the British authorities in Pakistan now classify individuals in this category as being “at risk of deportation.”
Recent government data indicates that approximately 3,250 men, women, and children enrolled in the UK’s relocation programs are residing in guest houses and hotels in Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan. During their stay in Pakistan, they lack legal employment opportunities, and their children are not permitted to attend school.
Concerns among Visa-Seeking Afghan Refugees
Initially, many believed their stay in Pakistan would be brief. Documents disclosed in court unveiled that a substantial portion of them face extended waiting periods, partly due to directives from Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, which restricted their lodging in UK hotels except in extreme cases.
Instead, a long-term accommodation solution was sought, with an email from the documents emphasizing that this approach “should result in an overall cost savings to the taxpayer.”
As per reliable Pakistani sources, the UK government has initiated plans to charter multiple flights over the upcoming months, extending through December.
These officials have confirmed that the inaugural flight is scheduled for Thursday.
The UK government has not disclosed the specific number of individuals to be on the maiden flight or the total count expected to be relocated before the impending November 1st deadline.
According to sources the government has resolved that participants in the relocation programs will no longer necessitate pre-arrangement of so-called “suitable accommodations” before their arrival. While the news of the flights brought some hope, it also generated a degree of confusion.
Read More: An All-British Astronaut Mission to Orbit: Four UK Astronauts Could Soon Soar into Space
Fears of Possible Deportation Loom Large
Jamal, under a pseudonym to protect his identity, had served as a translator for the British army and expressed that he hadn’t received any communication from the British authorities.
“Hopefully, everyone will be relocated soon, but no one knows who will go first, who’s in the queue, or who’s last,”
Similarly, Mahfouz, also using an alias for safety reasons, had been involved in project delivery for the UK government.
“I’m genuinely concerned about what will transpire if my family doesn’t secure a seat on one of those flights by the end of December. My wife is expecting a child, and if we don’t depart soon, we might have to postpone our journey into the next year,” he shared.
Those participating in the UK relocation programs are growing increasingly anxious in light of the looming November 1st deadline.
Multiple individuals disclosed that they had heard about police raids on accommodations, resulting in the detention of those enrolled in the UK relocation programs who didn’t possess the requisite documentation.
Despite their eventual release, this experience has left many individuals with a lingering fear of potential deportation to Afghanistan.
The Taliban government has declared amnesty for those who collaborated with international forces. Nevertheless, during our discussions, several individuals mentioned living in concealment prior to their departure from Afghanistan to Pakistan, driven by their apprehensions regarding potential repercussions.
Some believed that, by heeding the guidance of UK authorities and departing Afghanistan, they had inadvertently heightened their vulnerability.
Qasim, using an alias to protect his identity, had collaborated with UK authorities and conveyed, “Before leaving Afghanistan, our lives were already in jeopardy by about 50%. Now, the danger has escalated to 100%.”
The risk assessment by UK authorities also acknowledges the possibility of changing circumstances post-November 1st. According to the document, if informed promptly about the detention of an individual on the scheme, they have had a “fair likelihood of achieving a successful release.”