Afghans in UK visa limbo as Pakistan vows to expel migrants

Thousands of Afghans who risked their lives to work for the UK in Afghanistan and escaped the Taliban are now trapped in neighboring Pakistan while they wait to get relocated.

As Pakistan begins a assault on immigrants without permits in response to rising cross-border tensions, some have admitted to the BBC that their days are spent living in fear.

Marzia worked for the English government as an English teacher. She has been awaiting a UK card for eight weeks and is heavily pregnant.

She says,” My physical and mental health are not good.”

Because of the work we did for the UK state, our lives were in danger when the Taliban government took control of Afghanistan. We were forced to remain hidden.

Marzia is just one of many Afghans who worked for or with the UK before the Taliban retook authority in 2021 and quickly withdrew when foreign troops did. Others who worked on British-led initiatives to promote democracy and fairness in Afghanistan and were former British military translators are eligible for the UK government’s settlement programs. Because the UK authorities asked them to travel so they could practice their permits, everyone is in Pakistan.

As they wait for word of a new life in the UK, some have been here for months, while others have stayed for more than an entire month. Additionally, they have no legitimate access to education or employment while they wait.

The majority of the people we spoke with declined to become quoted. Those who did request privacy have had their titles changed. Some people confided in us that they feared the Taliban might target them or their family back in Afghanistan or that there might be consequences for their situation. Previous Afghan government troops, contractors, and translators who worked for foreign forces are eligible for parole, according to the Taliban authorities.

Marzia claims that the card she used to enter Pakistan has expired and that her pass was taken by the UK authorities upon her arrival.

She claims that in late September, her caseworker at the International Organization for Migration ( IOM ), her point of contact in Pakistan, advised her not to leave her guest house.

It indicates that she has previously missed a doctor’s visit and is unsure of how to handle the birth.

” I am unable to give birth to my child in my hotel room. She claims that there is no service or person to assist me.

As she speaks, her message gets louder. The health of me and my infant will be in jeopardy. It’s time for them to assist us presently that we’ve worked to earn their favor.

Five additional individuals with expired Pakistani permits also claimed that the IOM, or their hotel quoting it, forbade them from leaving the property.

When questioned, the IOM responded that they had” never given the tips mentioned ,” stating that” IOM only advises to keep details about their whereabouts at their hotel reception when leaving the premises to ensure follow-up and support when and if necessary.”

The Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy ( ARAP ) and the Afghan Citizen Resettlement Scheme ( ACRS ) are two UK government programs about which we spoke.

According to the authorities, 2,730″ administrators” and their relatives participated in these programs in Pakistan in September.

People who have been approved by the program and passed first security checks are asked to travel to a third country, typically Pakistan, so that their biometrics and ultimate checks can be finished because there is no method for the UK to approach visa applications in Afghanistan.

Yet leaving Afghanistan is challenging because there is a lengthy waiting list for passport-seeking citizens, and it can take months to get an Indian card. We spoke with a number of people who claimed to live in hiding from the Taliban government despite the asylum, while some claim their houses were raided.

Many people told the BBC that they were instructed to take only a small amount of cash to prevent problems at the frontier, which is now all but gone. In Pakistan, the UK government pays for their lodging and food.

They claim that despite being told or assuming they may only stay in Pakistan for a few months, they have been unable to contact the UK for assistance.

The Sulha Alliance, a nonprofit organization that advocates for Afghan speakers, told us that they were aware of some people who had waited for more than two years and some for close to two.

The plans were crucial anchors, according to group co-founder Sara de Jong, but” their implementation has been too slow and ineffective.”

According to Prof. de Jong,” to numerous Afghan speakers and another, whom we promised to bring to health more than two years ago, are still in Afghanistan, or waiting in Pakistan or other third places.”

We are issuing new permits to individuals in Afghanistan and other nations for resettlement these, according to a UK state spokesperson.” We continue to honor our commitments.

” The UK has made a bold and kind devotion to assist at-risk individuals in Afghanistan, and we have so much brought about 24, 600 individuals to security, including thousands of people who are ready for our Afghan resettlement programs.”

According to a government site, 21, 526 people participated in the ACRS and ARAP programs during the operation in 2021, including American citizens and those with settled status.

Jamal worked for the American army as a translator. He proudly displays images of his time in costume to me. He is currently residing in one place with his wife and children after more than five months in Islamabad. His children simply receive English classes online because he is unable to work legally.

My kids, who need my help, are in Afghanistan. I don’t include a duty to do anything here. Because of Covid, my children missed one month of school; after that, the Taliban arrived; and we missed our children’s schooling in Afghanistan. We then even missed the education of children in Pakistan.

Qasim, who collaborated with UK government, joins him. He claims he regrets coming after six months of living with his family of 10 in the same place.

He deeply told us,” In Afghanistan, women can’t get an education, but these none of my kids can sometimes.

He believes that by participating in the system, he had run a greater risk of turning around.

If our lives were in 50 % danger before we left Afghanistan, they are now in 100 % danger.

Their apprehension of Pakistan’s officers has grown. While they claim to have always been aware of the possibility of being stopped while walking down the street, others on the ARAP program informed them a little more than year before that police had broken into their hotel early in the morning, taken some of them to the police station, and then released them some hours later.

According to Qasim,” A person’s individual living wherever he happens to live may be safe, but even that is no respected.” Afghans have been under a lot of anxiety since the authorities began raiding hotels; not only my home, but others as well, and it has led to emotional issues for them. This is an extreme activity on their part that no one can handle.

Jamal concurs.

There are no assurances as to whether or not we will be detained, he claims.

The BBC has been shown a message from the British government that stated that they” are continuing to work with the Pakistani officials to resolve issues regarding expired permits … and will take actions to quickly solve situations should they happen” in response to questions about Pakistan police possibly entering hotels.

However, the two people and other people the BBC spoke with are still very uneasy.

They do not include documents, just like Marzia, and their Pakistan permits are no longer valid.

In light of the recent assault by Pakistani officials on illegal immigrants, we questioned the state about the legal standing of those participating in the ARAP and ACRS programs, but we received no response.