About 200 Afghan refugees to relocate from Pakistan to UK on charter flights on Oct 26

As many as 200 Afghan refugees will fly out of Pakistan, where they are currently stuck, to relocate to the UK onboard the first charter flight scheduled for Thursday (October 26), media reports said.

After the Taliban's takeover of Kabul in August 2021, over 3,000 Afghans, including a majority of those who worked for the British army, were evacuated to Pakistan and promised residence in the European nation.

However, these individuals are still stuck in Pakistan. Apart from Pakistan, hundreds of Afghan refugees are also stranded in Iran as they wait for a possible evacuation to the UK.

This situation has caused concerns among the refugee community in Pakistan. Many of the refugees in Pakistan had initially gone there to process their UK visas, with the aim of starting a new life in the UK.

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However, due to delays and various complications, some of their visas have now expired.

Reports citing a risk assessment document disclosed that the British authorities in Pakistan consider this group to be "at risk of deportation."

Plight of refugees in Pakistan

Around 3,250 individuals, including men, women, and children, who are part of the UK's relocation schemes, are currently residing in guest houses and hotels in Islamabad, Pakistan.

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While in Pakistan,they do not have legal access to work, and their children are not allowed to attend school. Many refugees had initially expected a short stay in Pakistan, but due to a change in accommodation policies in the UK and longer waiting times, their situation has become more precarious.

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Media reports, citing official sourcesin Pakistan, said that the UK government is planning to charter several flights over the next few months, with operations running until December.

Last year, UK authorities made accommodation arrangements a prerequisite for repatriation however reports say that the government has decided that they will no longer need to fulfill the "suitable accommodation" requirement before their arrival. This change is aimed to expedite the relocation process.

(With inputs from agencies)