Torkham border closed to Afghan nationals without passports and visas

The Pakistani government is sending Afghan migrants back home, and at the same time, they’ve closed the Torkham border crossing for patients who don’t have passports and visas.

The information and culture department in Nangarhar province of Afghanistan has announced through a statement that the Torkham border crossing was closed on Friday to patients lacking legal documents such as visas and passports.

Previously, border officials at the Torkham crossing allowed patients without passports and visas to enter the country, following approval from the Ministry of Public Health if Afghanistan. 

This comes as reports indicate that thousands of Afghans, particularly cancer patients whose illnesses cannot be treated in Afghanistan, annually seek medical treatment in neighbouring countries, especially Pakistan.

Pakistan has implemented this decision while the United Nations Human Rights Office had previously called on Pakistan to halt the refugee expulsion process to prevent a “human rights catastrophe.”

The expulsion of Afghan migrants is occurring during a severe winter, exacerbating the already dire humanitarian crisis in the country.

As Afghan migrants are being forced to leave, they are facing tough conditions, especially given the harsh winter weather, further worsening the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan.

Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Supreme Court has reported that it began reviewing the petition of human rights activists on Friday regarding the cessation of the expulsion of Afghan refugees from Pakistan.

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