JHELUM: As the government’s deadline for the evacuation of illegal Afghan immigrants has reached, an Afghan immigrant family from Jhelum has approached the Islamabad High Court (IHC) against the eviction notice issued by the institutions. IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq heard the petition of the Afghan national. According to the notification of the Government of Pakistan, only the illegal Afghan nationals have been asked to go back the petitioners lawyer said. The petitioner and his wife have Afghan Citizen cards. Their three children are minors and studying in school, he added. Meanwhile, lawyers and activists have said the scale of the crackdown is unprecedented, appealing for more time for Afghans — some of whom have lived for decades in the country — to be given more time to pack up with dignity. The Pakistani government is using threats, abuse, and detention to coerce Afghan asylum seekers without legal status to return to Afghanistan or face deportation, Human Rights Watch said on Tuesday. The situation in Afghanistan remains dangerous for many who fled, and deportation will expose them to significant security risks, including threats to their lives and well-being. DNA
