While it was the US invasion of Afghanistan as the main reason of millions of Afghans displacement, The US embassy has issued letters to more than 25,000 Afghan nationals under the process of relocation to and resettlement in the US and shared their names with Pakistani authorities, Pakistan-based Dawn reported, citing diplomatic and other sources.These Afghan nationals, however, continue to face an uncertain future as Pakistan raised objections regarding the list, according to Pakistan's senior Interior Ministry official. At present, these Afghan nationals are residing in Pakistan and await resettlement in the US.
The crisis erupted when Pakistan began detaining illegal Afghan refugees in holding centres after the November 1 deadline for their voluntary departure to Afghanistan expired, according to Dawn report.Following the Taliban's seizure of power in Afghanistan, the US government evacuated thousands of Afghans who had worked for them and feared retribution at the hands of the Taliban. Reportedly, these Afghan nationals also faced action amid the ongoing crackdown against illegal foreign nationals in Pakistan, prompting US officials to call on the Pakistani authorities to address the issue.The US officials believe these letters would serve as a guarantee for the concerned Afghan nationals to reside in Pakistan without fearing their arrest and deportation."We are in close and constant contact with the Government of Pakistan on the safety of individuals in the US pipelines. Our key concern is the safety of vulnerable and at-risk individuals," Dawn quoted US embassy spokesperson Jonathan Lalley.