PHC bars deportation of Afghan musicians seeking asylum

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) has issued a two-page short verdict restraining the government from deporting Afghan musicians seeking asylum in Pakistan, ARY News reported.

According to reports, Justice Waqar Ahmed authored the concise decision, directing the federal government to appoint an officer to review asylum applications and make a decision within two months.

The court instructed that Afghan musicians must not be expelled from the country for at least two months. The Ministry of Interior has been asked to allow the musicians to remain in Pakistan during this period.

Until the government concludes the cases, no strict action is to be taken against the musicians, the court’s decision emphasised.

Pakistan temporarily halted the repatriation of illegal immigrants, including Afghan refugees, following a request from the United Nations in July 2024.

the decision came after the recent visit of UNHCR High Commissioner Filippo Grandi to Pakistan.

During his visit, Grandi met with Afghan refugees in Peshawar and Haripur and held talks with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, and other high-ranking officials.

Read More: Pakistan ‘halts’ repatriation of illegal immigrants

The UNHCR chief requested the Pakistani government to suspend the repatriation of illegal immigrants, citing humanitarian concerns.

Prior to this decision, repatriation of illegal Afghan nationals continued as 620,981 Afghans have returned to their country till June 22.

Between 11th to 21st of this month, total 13,815 Afghans returned to their country including 5,014 men, 4,087 women and 4,714 children.

It is pertinent to mention here that the apex committee of the National Action Plan (NAP) in a meeting on October 3, 2023, chaired by the then-caretaker PM Anwaarul Haq Kakar gave a deadline to all foreign nationals living illegally in the country until October 31 to leave voluntarily or face deportation.

Since the expiry of the deadline over 500,000 illegal Afghans have returned to their homeland via the Torkham and Chaman borders.