‘Not A Single Afghan Given Refugee Status’: Pakistan Interior Minister Denies Massive Influx

New Delhi: Pakistan’s Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid said on Monday stated that the government has not granted refugee status to those coming from Afghanistan.

Not a single person from Afghanistan has been given refugee status till now, the Pakistan Interior Minister said as reported by The Dawn.

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 During a press conference in Islamabad, Sheikh Rashid also spoke about the refugee influx expected amid the crisis situation in Afghanistan. “not one person has been granted refugee status till now […] not one refugee has been given permission […] Pakistan has not taken one person as a Muhajir till now,” The Dawn quoted him as saying

About the refugee influx, he said that the administration expected that a “flood [of refugees] can come […] but it didn’t occur”.

According to the report, National Security Adviser Moeed Yusuf had also commented last month that “Pakistan does not have the capacity to take more refugees”.

The interior minister had also said in July that the refugee entry would be prohibited and alternate arrangements such as camps and settlements along the border would be be made.

‘Unprecedented’ Influx

While the interior minister denies Pakistan seeing a “flood” of refugees, reports suggest that an “unprecedented” number of people are travelling from Afghanistan to Pakistan through the official border crossing.

News agency Reuters cited local officials as informing that the suicide attack at Kabul airport has driven more to try and flee the country. According to them, the Spin Boldak-Chaman land border crossing between Pakistan and Afghanistan has remained open, and scores of Afghans have crossed over in recent days.

While only those who are travelling for medical treatment or have proof of residence in Pakistan are allowed to cross, people smugglers have been helping families to get over the border, the report stated.

Reuters reported a local as saying that tens of thousands of people have gathered at the border and about 20,000 have been crossing every day, almost triple the usual 6,000.