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Afghan Refugees in Iran, Pakistan Call for UNHCR to Act

Afghan refugees in Iran and Pakistan have once more voiced their concerns about the lack of progress being made in their applications for asylum.

They said that the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and Western nations' agencies in Pakistan have not paid attention to their requests.

"For the past three months, a large number of journalists and civil society women's rights activists have protested the delay in processing our immigration applications, but they have not provided us with any answers," said an Afghan refugee in Pakistan.

"Afghans face challenges such as their visas expiring and not being extended, lack of jobs, and high rent," said another Afghan refugee in Pakistan.

They ask the institutions supporting the asylum seekers and Western nations' agencies in Islamabad to address their problems.

“We ask the United Nations and those countries who accept immigrants to listen to the voices of the Afghan people and pay attention to their cases,” said an Afghan refugee in Pakistan.

Meanwhile, some of the Afghan refugees who are living in Iran talked about the problems they face living in that country.

"Over the last eleven months, there has been a significant increase in the number of Afghan refugees entering Iran; every day 4,000 to 5,000 refugees, both legal and illegal, come over while 2,000 to 3,000 refugees are deported. The lack of labor opportunities and adequate housing for Afghan refugees in Iran is a major problem,” said Asifa Stanekzai, an activist for the rights of Afghan refugees in Iran.

The UK's Guardian said in a report that the UK Foreign Office has admitted a number of errors over its handling of Britain’s exit from Afghanistan, but has shut the door on many Afghans who helped the UK prior to the Islamic Emirate takeover last August, saying it will not provide false hope that they will be given the chance to come to the UK.

According to the Guardian report, Foreign Office officials say it is difficult to judge whether Afghans who worked on UK-funded civilian schemes, such as the British Council, are truly in danger from the Taliban, saying the evidence is that the threat primarily applies to those who provided security support to the UK.

“Officials said the slow progress in processing cases this year had been caused by the high number of rejected applications, as well as legal cases challenging UK refusals to provide a right of abode. So far, only 5,000 Afghans have been given permission to come to the UK, in addition to the 15,000 evacuated at the time of the fall of Kabul last year,” Guardian’s report reads.

Afghan Refugees in Iran, Pakistan Call for UNHCR to Act

Meanwhile, some of the Afghan refugees who are living in Iran talked about the problems they face living in that country.

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Afghan refugees in Iran and Pakistan have once more voiced their concerns about the lack of progress being made in their applications for asylum.

They said that the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and Western nations' agencies in Pakistan have not paid attention to their requests.

"For the past three months, a large number of journalists and civil society women's rights activists have protested the delay in processing our immigration applications, but they have not provided us with any answers," said an Afghan refugee in Pakistan.

"Afghans face challenges such as their visas expiring and not being extended, lack of jobs, and high rent," said another Afghan refugee in Pakistan.

They ask the institutions supporting the asylum seekers and Western nations' agencies in Islamabad to address their problems.

“We ask the United Nations and those countries who accept immigrants to listen to the voices of the Afghan people and pay attention to their cases,” said an Afghan refugee in Pakistan.

Meanwhile, some of the Afghan refugees who are living in Iran talked about the problems they face living in that country.

"Over the last eleven months, there has been a significant increase in the number of Afghan refugees entering Iran; every day 4,000 to 5,000 refugees, both legal and illegal, come over while 2,000 to 3,000 refugees are deported. The lack of labor opportunities and adequate housing for Afghan refugees in Iran is a major problem,” said Asifa Stanekzai, an activist for the rights of Afghan refugees in Iran.

The UK's Guardian said in a report that the UK Foreign Office has admitted a number of errors over its handling of Britain’s exit from Afghanistan, but has shut the door on many Afghans who helped the UK prior to the Islamic Emirate takeover last August, saying it will not provide false hope that they will be given the chance to come to the UK.

According to the Guardian report, Foreign Office officials say it is difficult to judge whether Afghans who worked on UK-funded civilian schemes, such as the British Council, are truly in danger from the Taliban, saying the evidence is that the threat primarily applies to those who provided security support to the UK.

“Officials said the slow progress in processing cases this year had been caused by the high number of rejected applications, as well as legal cases challenging UK refusals to provide a right of abode. So far, only 5,000 Afghans have been given permission to come to the UK, in addition to the 15,000 evacuated at the time of the fall of Kabul last year,” Guardian’s report reads.

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