Taliban Border Police Struggle To Verify Authenticity Of New Zealand Visa

In a statement, the embassy said that Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed the imminent deportation of all Afghan migrants, including those holding Afghan Citizen Cards (ACC) and Proof of Registration (PoR) cards.

“Officials from Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs have confirmed that there is a definitive and final plan to deport all Afghan refugees not only from Islamabad and Rawalpindi but also from the entire country in the near future,” the statement read.

According to the Taliban embassy, only Afghans with valid visas will be allowed to remain in Islamabad and Rawalpindi. The embassy expressed concerns over Pakistan’s unilateral decision and stated that it has raised the issue with Pakistani authorities and international organisations. It further noted that the Taliban administration in Afghanistan has been informed to coordinate the return of refugees.

The statement also alleged that Afghan nationals in Islamabad and Rawalpindi have recently been subjected to arrests, searches, and forced evictions by Pakistani police. The embassy claimed that the Pakistani government did not notify them in advance and that the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) was also unaware of the situation.

According to a document obtained by Afghanistan International, the Pakistani government, under Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, approved a mass deportation plan for Afghan refugees during a meeting on 29 January.

According to the report, 15 of those detained remain in custody as of February. OCHA also revealed that 56 humanitarian projects have been suspended due to Taliban interference, with nearly half still on hold.

The findings indicate a one hundred sixty-one percent rise in aid worker arrests compared to the previous month. Additionally, 127 cases of interference or restrictions on humanitarian aid access were recorded, with eighty-three percent attributed to the Taliban.

OCHA outlined several ways in which the Taliban have disrupted humanitarian work, including demands for staff lists and data, restrictions on women’s participation in aid efforts, intervention in hiring processes, delays in document approvals, and procurement disruptions.

A previous OCHA report showed that in November 2024, 164 incidents of humanitarian aid disruptions were documented in Afghanistan, with ninety-nine percent linked to Taliban authorities.

According to these sources, one Pakistani border guard was killed, while the Taliban suffered heavy casualties in the skirmish.

On Wednesday, Pakistani security officials reported that Taliban fighters launched a sudden attack on a border post in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. The assault resulted in the death of a Pakistani border soldier, while another soldier sustained injuries and was transferred to a military hospital for treatment.

In response, Pakistani forces launched a counterattack, completely destroying the Taliban’s border post. Pakistani sources claimed that the Taliban suffered significant casualties, although they did not provide an exact number.

Reports indicate that both sides used heavy weaponry during the intense exchange of fire. While the gunfire has now ceased, tensions along the border remain high, with security forces on high alert for further hostilities.

On 23 August 2024, the Taliban’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent multiple letters to its embassy in Islamabad, detailing these violations and formally protesting to the Pakistani government.

According to these documents, Pakistani military jets and drones conducted at least 22 aerial patrols over Afghan territory between 3 and 20 August 2024. The air patrols took place over Paktika, Helmand, Nangarhar, Khost, Kunar, and Kandahar provinces, lasting several hours. However, the Taliban’s records do not specify the purpose of these incursions.

The leaked documents further indicate that Pakistani border guards fired into Afghan territory more than 30 times during the same period. In several instances, Pakistani forces launched multiple attacks in a single day, using light and heavy weapons, including mortars and DShK machine guns.

The Taliban claimed that these attacks targeted residential homes, military installations, and Taliban personnel. Some reports suggest that Taliban border patrols came under direct fire, while in other cases, Pakistani forces attempted to install border barriers without prior coordination. When Taliban border guards objected, Pakistani troops responded with gunfire.

In its formal complaint to Islamabad, the Taliban Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned Pakistan’s repeated airspace violations and border attacks. The ministry expressed its serious concerns over Pakistani intelligence aircraft patrolling Afghan airspace and the escalation of hostilities along the Durand Line.

Despite officially documenting these violations and urging Pakistan to prevent further incidents, no tangible progress has been made. The Taliban warned that continued Pakistani military actions could increase tensions along the disputed Durand Line and further strain relations between Islamabad and Kabul.

Speaking in an interview with Afghanistan International on Tuesday, Mohaqiq, a participant in the Vienna Process, stressed that if opposition figures within the Taliban are willing to engage in peace talks, their participation would be welcomed.

He asserted that the international community has now reached the consensus that the Taliban regime is not sustainable, making discussions about a post-Taliban Afghanistan crucial. He highlighted that Afghanistan’s future must be decided through a democratic process, ensuring representation from all political and ethnic groups.

Referring to internal rifts within the Taliban and the suspension of international aid, Mohaqiq emphasised that Afghanistan’s political landscape is shifting. He noted that no regional country currently supports the Taliban, and global and regional powers have distanced themselves from the group.

“Regional countries are either openly opposed to the Taliban or increasingly concerned about their actions,” he remarked.

Mohaqiq also pointed to the deteriorating relations between the Taliban and Pakistan, stating that Pakistan’s security situation has worsened significantly since the Taliban’s rise to power. He argued that the lack of formal recognition of the Taliban government by any country reflects regional dissatisfaction with the group’s policies.

He further stated that the Vienna Process seeks to expand its reach and include a broader spectrum of political voices to develop a roadmap acceptable to all Afghan factions.

Mohaqiq participated virtually in the Vienna Conference, which took place on Tuesday and brought together 90 political figures and representatives. During the meeting, anti-Taliban leaders reaffirmed their commitment to armed resistance and declared that they are not waiting for the United States or any foreign power to initiate change in Afghanistan.