Daily Times

“Whenever we raised (the issue of cross-border terrorism) with the interim Afghan government, they advised us to “look inwards.”

We have finally decided to heed their advice to put our house in order.” Interim Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar wrote an in-depth commentary piece for a leading Western publication.

For decades on end, Pakistan warmly embraced all those who fled from the war-ravaged Afghanistan with open arms. Its inspiring opening of the doorway and the entire country could only be understood by those aware of the Pact of brotherhood between Muhajireen and Ansar in the early Islamic community. Neither did we shun them to refugee camps established along the borders nor give them false hopes of resettlement in green pastures as they wilted away waiting. But just as PM Kakar, over the last few decades, between four and five million migrants (roughly the population of Ireland) have arrived in Pakistan.

At least 16 Afghan nationals have been found complicit in terror attacks all around the country.

Since Pakistan is not a signatory to the 1951 Convention on Refugees and the 1967 Protocol, the only commitment towards these hapless people came out of the goodness of its heart and the true spirit of brotherhood. However, repeated attempts by government after government to mainstream those who have chosen Pakistan to build their lives fell flat on their faces. A large majority continues to abstain from paying taxes. Even more worrisome developments came along as they formed a heavily armed nexus with black market forces. Pakistan loses millions in precious foreign exchange to smuggling rackets. But while small-scale crackdowns kept brewing in the background to identify the black sheep within, hell appeared to have broken loose ever since the chaotic withdrawal of the American forces from Kabul.

That at least 16 Afghan nationals have been found complicit in terror attacks all around the country should have been enough to rattle any sovereign state to action. But since Pakistan is a developing country and the West has a borderline obsession with acting as the moral authority in our part of the world, Islamabad’s profound strategy to prioritise its own security has prompted a scathing outrage from many corners. While these media outlets–largely swayed by the misinformation menace–demand answers for a long list of discomforting, guilt-ridden questions, would they be kind enough to explain their own governments’ share in the play? The unfulfilled aid pledges; promises to share the burden of new arrivals in the form of resettlement to third countries and a comprehensive refugee relief programme have all vanished in thin air as Pakistan is expected to take care of millions who live illegally in its alleys, eat up its resources and then don’t hesitate for a second before conniving with its enemies.

Although there is a constant need to ensure the provision of maximum facilities to make this process as smooth as possible, a flood of fake news has gathered on social media about the alleged mistreatment of the refugees. As many as 78 transit centres have already been established where the state is committed to providing free food, lodging and medical facilities. There is immense emphasis on empathy in dealings with those leaving for their own homeland. However, it would be a gross exaggeration to assume Pakistan is turning away from its responsibilities. There are no plans to deport at-risk groups, such as musicians, journalists, and human rights activists. Most importantly, none of the 1.46 million Afghans who applied for proof of registration cards have been forced to return. 800,000 or so individuals holding Afghan citizen cards are still a part of the Pakistani fabric.

In this day and age when nationalist movements have taken the entire world by storm, giants like the UK, France, Germany and Italy are worried about the maintenance of illegal refugees, how can a struggling economy like Pakistan be expected to take care of its own burgeoning population on top of these people who have no interest in participating in its journey towards prosperity?

Under the present circumstances where irrefutable evidence exists of not one, not two, not three but thousands, if not tens of thousands of connections between the Afghan nationals and the terror networks, Pakistan can no longer bury its head in the sand and let the sinister designs of the likes of TTP paint its streets with the blood of its own citizens. The mockery of its writ and hospitality would have to stop. There’s no other way about it.

The writer is a freelance columnist.