Several Afghan refugees on Monday protested at a rally in Islamabad demanding shelter in developed countries, saying that Pakistan itself is reeling under economic and political crisis and they don't want to go back to their country being governed by the Taliban.
The Afghan nationals, who flew from their country have been seeking shelter across nations, after the Taliban took over Afghanistan, brought out the rally from the press club to D-Chowk in Islamabad, reported Dawn.
The protestors said that they left the country because they were insecure under the Taliban government, but Pakistan is unable to provide them shelter as the country itself is facing several challenges thus they want a shelter in any developed country.
"We are here and want to get settled in any developed country. So far, we are not being given the status of refugees here," the Dawn quoted a protestor Alyas Zaki as saying.
"Pakistan is also not able to provide us asylum. We know people of Pakistan are also facing several challenges such as unemployment and high inflation, therefore, frankly speaking, we want to stay in any developed country," he added.
The Dawn quoted another protester Mir Waiz, who said, "After the takeover by Taliban last year, thousands of Afghanis came to Pakistan and are now facing issues of documentation as Pakistan, it seems, is not going to provide us asylum."
He urged the developed countries to look into the issues of Afghans who along with their families were moving from one place to other.
"I don't want to go back. I will stay here or any other country but will not go back to Kabul because of life threats," Dawn quoted another 50-year-old protestor, Habiba, who along with her four daughters moved from Kabul to Islamabad.
She said her husband was a police official but since the takeover of Kabul by the Taliban he has been missing.
Many of the protesters were wearing white shrouds inscribed with the slogan "kill us, kill us".
Since the Taliban took over in mid-August last year, Afghanistan has not only seen a mass exodus but also the illegal crossings of Afghans into neighbouring countries like Iran via Nimroz province and Turkey.
Although the fighting in the country has ended, Afghanistan's situation has been deteriorating as serious human rights violations continue unabated.
( With inputs from ANI )
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