Pakistan hands over 27 Afghan prisoners to Taliban authorities

KABUL: According to Afghan officials, Pakistan has handed over 27 Afghan prisoners to the Taliban authorities at the Torkham crossing border, Nangarhar province of Afghanistan, reported Khaama Press. As per their statement, the Afghan prisoners were imprisoned due to a lack of legal documents in different jails in Pakistan.

The released Afghan prisoners were handed over to the Directorate of Transfer in Torkham, according to Khaama Press. The Khaama Press News Agency is the largest online news service for Afghanistan, established in October 2010 in Kabul, Afghanistan.

These prisoners were jailed for months and were also mistreated by Pakistani officials in the jails, the statement said. Earlier, the General Consulate of Afghanistan in Karachi, Sindh province said that another 60 prisoners were freed due to the efforts of Aghan officials of the Embassy, Khaama Press reported. They were released from the Sindh Central Jail of Pakistan.

The Afghan General Consulate also reported that 66 other inmates, including eight children, had been released from Karachi jails earlier. Meanwhile, the Afghan Foreign Ministry's efforts released 2,342 Afghan prisoners from several Pakistani prisons, who have since returned home, according to Khaama Press.

Most Afghan nationals immigrate to neighbouring countries like Pakistan and Iran, for medical treatment, work, and to flee from prosecution or security threats by the current regime. Some Afghan refugees lack legal travel documents, especially those who travel for medical treatments or run from the de facto regime's persecution Consequently, they are detained and arrested by Pakistan authorities, as per Khaama Press.

In May, the Taliban-appointed consul in Karachi city of Pakistan said that over 290 citizens of Afghanistan are expected to be released in the next two months, according to TOLONews.

The Counsel added that out of 2,600 Afghan prisoners held in Pakistan, nearly 2,350 of them including women and children have been released and returned to the country. Earlier in January 2023, Pakistan released 524 Afghan nationals, who were accused of entering without valid travel documents, TOLONews reported.