SHAFAQNA PAKISTAN | by SA Sehgal- Ukraine and now Gaza are keeping world powers pretty busy these days. Afghanistan is not a foreign policy priority of any country except maybe Pakistan.
But Pakistan’s recent policy on Afghan refugees has forced the USA and other Western countries to pay some attention.
USA’s Special Representative for Afghanistan Tom West returned to Islamabad in recent days after his visit in January this year.
The only major reason for their visit was the ongoing evacuation of Afghan citizens in Pakistan. The United States and many other Western countries view this withdrawal with concern.
So far, more than 450,000 illegal Afghan citizens have returned to their homeland. But the USA and its allies are more concerned about the forced deportation of people who have helped them in Afghanistan in the past.
They fear that the Afghan Taliban may retaliate despite the amnesty announcement. It also contains a list of 25,000 people who the US allegedly gave to Pakistan not to send back because they could be at risk.
USA or Pakistani officials in Islamabad have declined to discuss the list formally, but official talks are ongoing between the two.
Diplomatic sources say that the USA’s Embassy has issued letters to more than 25,000 Afghan citizens and their names have been shared with the Pakistani authorities.
However, Pakistani officials say the list is unclear and have asked for more details. Currently, these Afghan nationals are in Pakistan and are awaiting transfer to the United States.
USA’s officials are apparently reluctant to share more information about these individuals for fear of jeopardizing their security.
A senior diplomatic official told Independent Urdu that the USA was satisfied with Pakistan’s assurance that it was giving special attention to Afghan minorities. However, he wants to further improve this profiling system.
In a tweet at the end of the two-day visit, US Special Envoy Tom West mentioned the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan first and Afghan refugees second.
He described the discussion with caretaker Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani, Army Chief General Asim Munir and his Pakistani counterpart Asif Durrani on security challenges due to TTP and protection of Afghan refugees as useful.
He said that America stands with Pakistan against terrorism in the region. “We are also grateful for close communication with Islamabad on refugee protection issues, including cooperation with IOs and humane and dignified treatment.”
In another tweet, Tom West wrote that he also met “brave Afghan refugees” during the visit to hear first-hand about their lives, to admire their courage in heartbreaking situations. We demand their protection and thank UNHCR, IOM and other partners for their efforts.
Diplomatic officials are also seen expressing fears in private meetings that some of those forcibly returned may join the TTP.
Contrary to the Afghan Taliban’s claims that the economy is improving, Western diplomats believe that the economic situation in Afghanistan is bad and that winter may be more alarming for Afghans.
Although the US is in direct contact with the Taliban, it does not want to give the impression of any economic cooperation. He is trying to get financial assistance through the United Nations and other international organizations.
He believes that if unemployment and other economic problems are not addressed now, the international community will have to invest more money going forward.
The international community supports the Taliban’s order to cut 90 percent of production against narcotics in Afghanistan, but is also concerned that the production of other types of drugs is increasing.
So far, no country has recognized the Taliban government despite its demand. In this regard, five important aspects are being missed on which no progress has been made so far.
The first is that the travel restrictions on 135 members of the Afghan Taliban movement are still in place.
No country in the United Nations has so far raised its voice to lift these sanctions. Second, not a single dollar of the assets of 90 billion dollars outside the country of Afghanistan has been returned. I am sitting and the international financial institutions have not yet developed any transactions with Kabul.
However, the Afghan Taliban say that they have fulfilled all the conditions for the recognition of the world and delaying it will not prove beneficial.There is a stalemate on the global horizon regarding the issue of Afghanistan. This stalemate is good for the Afghan Taliban in a way that they are strengthening themselves, but it does not bode well for the Afghan people. They will be further affected by this delay.
Source: Shafaqna Pakistan
Note: Shafaqna do not endorse the views expressed in the article