The consulate of the Islamic Emirate in Karachi, Abdul Jabar Takhari, said that more than 800 Afghan refugees including children have been detained in Sindh province of Pakistan within one week.

The detention of the Afghan refugees comes as the Pakistan Prime Minister said that a new policy was going into effect based on which foreign nationals without legal documents will be deported.

“The detentions are being continued and those who have documents, they have also been detained and they have released some of the Afghans with legal documents for money,” Takhari said.

Meanwhile, the Afghan refugees in Pakistan reported mistreatment by Pakistani police, and they called on the Islamic Emirate to take immediate action in this regard.

“There is no doubt there are now detentions in Karachi, Quetta, Chitral and Peshawar as well as other areas. In Islamabad they came with men and women police and conducted a crackdown on the fruit market and detained some people,” said Mir Ahmad Rauf, head of an Afghan refugee’s council in Pakistan.

“The detention of the refugees has been increasing day by day and they are facing problems,” said Abdul Basir Wisal, an Afghan refugee in Pakistan.

“This issue needs serious negotiations and I think the central government of Afghanistan has an important role in this regard. They need to travel to Pakistan to discuss why this issue has risen and how it can be solved,” said Tahir Khan, a Pakistani journalist.

The Islamic Emirate meanwhile called on Pakistan to treat the Afghan refugees well.

“We want Pakistan to have normal engagement with the refugees because Pakistan and Afghanistan have a lot in common. There is a lot of commuting and also there are some related issues along the Durand Line,” said Zabiullah Mujahid, Islamic Emirate’s Spokesman.

The Afghan refugees have repeatedly voiced concern over their mistreatment by Pakistani police.