Choosing a lesser evil is neither madness nor wrong. Deporting all illegal foreigners, including Afghan Citizen Card holders, is a much-needed and long-overdue step. The country has carried this weight for decades at the cost of its own security, economy, and stability. But ever since announcing the deadline for the aliens’ deportation, so-called international rights organizations and media outlets, especially from India and Afghanistan, have launched a smear campaign against Islamabad disguised as mercy appeals. This selective backlash, although expected, is unfortunate.
According to some reports, Pakistan still hosts more than 2.5 million Afghan refugees. Yet, the actual number is much higher. Islamabad had earlier this month requested all illegal non-Pakistani settlers to leave by end-March. A belief has been propagated that the government just woke up one day to decide their fate. The issue dragged on for years, with Pakistan announcing repeated extensions and pushing the deadline further. However, the unprecedented hospitality spanning well over 45 years has been taken for granted and returned in the form of societal chaos, smuggling, economic strain, and illegal labor in the already saturated job market. But the real tipping point has been Afghan nationals’ increasing involvement in the drug trade and anti-state activities, which left authorities with no choice but to request them to return.
Pakistan has its own fights to fight. It cannot and should not be expected to clean up others’ mess. No country should be forced to sacrifice its national interests for the sake of lingerers
This very request has invited wrath from parts of the globe. Still, the criticism is just the tip of the iceberg, with spillways likely to open as the deadline for their departure nears. Then again, expecting the world to be fair about this is naive. It is ironic that the same countries that mistreated and shut their doors on refugees are now preaching Pakistan about human rights. Even global media outlets are twisting the facts. Words like "extradition", "expulsion", and “ouster” are being used to frame Pakistan as a villain instead of a victim. It would be safe to say that this is hypocrisy at its finest.
Pakistan has its own fights to fight. It cannot and should not be expected to clean up others’ mess. No country should be forced to sacrifice its national interests for the sake of lingerers. The ongoing defamation campaign must not shake Pakistan’s resolve. National security comes first for any country, and Pakistan too, being a sovereign state, is entitled to secure its land from criminal elements.
While Afghan refugees have enjoyed certain rights on the land for decades, no one should be under the illusion that they have an unopposed, unrestricted right to the land as well. Deportation is a standard international practice, and the world’s double standards are being exposed as countries pick at Pakistan for following suit. Time for unquestioned generosity is over.
