- Afghan refugees to UK.
- Delays, expired visas.
- Housing challenges, changing requirements.
The initial aircraft transporting Afghan refugees from Pakistan to the United Kingdom has touched down.
The flight departed from Pakistan carrying 132 passengers, according to official sources within the nation.
Thousands of individuals who fled the Taliban in Pakistan after serving or working for the British government in Afghanistan are awaiting repatriation.
Former instructors for the British Council and translators for the British Army are among them.
UK’s Commitment and Refugee Programs
According to Pakistani authorities, the United Kingdom has chartered a total of twelve flights between now and late December to transport Afghans to the United Kingdom.
Every single refugee is a participant in either the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy or the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Programme.
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Reports indicate that despite being instructed to travel to Pakistan for visa processing, some have been there for over a year, and a significant number of their visas have since expired.
Pakistan announced earlier this month that it would begin deporting unauthorised immigrants on November 1.
Many Afghans continue to fear retaliation despite the Taliban’s declaration of amnesty for those who assisted international forces in Afghanistan in 2021 when they regained control of the country.
Some have also expressed concern that by adhering to the United Kingdom’s directive to withdraw from Afghanistan, they have increased their own vulnerability.
Not his given name, but Qasim was one of those who collaborated with the British authorities.
“Before our departure from Afghanistan, fifty percent of our lives were in danger.” They are now in absolute peril, he declared.
As per a risk assessment document disclosed in court, individuals in Pakistan who are presently awaiting UK visas are presently deemed “at risk of deportation” by the British authorities.
According to government statistics, approximately 3,250 individuals, including men, women, and children, have been residing in guest houses and hotels in Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan.
They prohibit legal work, and education is unavailable for their children during their stay.
Long Waits and Changing Requirements
When many first visited Pakistan, they anticipated that their delay would last no longer than a few weeks.
According to court documents, many individuals had to endure lengthier wait times as a result of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s declaration that they could not be brought to the United Kingdom and lodged in hotels, barring the most extreme circumstances.
Instead, it was necessary to locate longer-term housing prior to their relocation. According to one email, this arrangement “should result in a net savings for the taxpayer as a whole.”
The government has decided to eliminate the requirement of matching individuals participating in relocation programmes with “suitable accommodation” prior to their arrival.
