League for the Fifth International Sun, 19. November 2023
1.7 million Afghan refugees, about half of the 3 – 4 million Afghans living in Pakistan, are due to be deported by the end of the year, unless they leave the country “voluntarily”. Many of the 1.7 million have fled persecution at the hands of the Taliban. Now they must leave Pakistan, otherwise they will face imprisonment and deportation.
Since the beginning of November, the harassment and forced deportation of Afghans has become widespread. But, at the same time, protests have been mounting for weeks, in particular at the Chaman border crossing. Thousands of Pakistani Pashtun people are joining the protest, including a large number of workers. The protesters have organised mass sit-ins on both sides of the border.
The reason for the border protest is very clear. Pashtun people not only reject the deportations, they also correctly understand them as part of the government’s policies and interests which have made the life of the Pashtun people miserable. They recognise that the deportations go hand in hand with the expropriation of the Afghans, taking away their livelihood and their right to live in the area where they have been working and living, sometimes for generations.
In addition, the government also wants to force Pashtun leaders and traders to implement border controls in the future. The alliance of traders and local tribes are to be forced to issue passports and visas. But, at least until now, they have rejected these orders. Currently, farmers, traders, tribal leaders and working Pashtuns of different political parties are participating in this protest, rejecting the government and its policies.
The protestors reject the forced eviction of Afghan refugees and demand that the government withdraw this inhumane policy and not render the lives of Afghan refugees more harsh and impoverished. Their eviction will ruin everything, built by the hard work of a lifetime and generations. Back in Afghanistan, there is nothing for them, and many are facing serious threats from the regime.
The purpose of the caretaker government of Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar is to divert attention from the crisis of the system, rampant inflation and shortages of energy. It blames the Afghans for the lack of resources. Therefore, the Afghan refugees are being scapegoated and racism fuelled against them. Indeed, the movement of all people without passport will be completely stopped at the Chaman border in future.
Border trade has become a serious problem in Balochistan as well. There, the employment and livelihoods of millions of people is bound up with this. The policies of the Pakistani government are destroying these in the interests of big capital.
Those who are already victims of marginalisation and war imposed by imperialism and the state, will be deprived of everything. Therefore, the responsibility of the workers across the country, including in Balochistan, is to mobilise in solidarity with the Afghan refugees. The Pakistani trade unions need to support the mass sit ins and protests at the borders, they need to come out in solidarity mobilisations and strike with their Afghan brothers and sisters, uniting in a common struggle against all deportations, for the right of all refugees to live and work in Pakistan and in a common struggle against inflation, against governmental cuts, the IMF dictates and the capitalist crisis, which are the real cause of the misery facing Pakistani workers and peasants and Afghan refugees.
Working class parties, trade unions and left wing organisations need to solidarise with the Afghan refugees and their sit ins. They need to organise protests and rallies in different countries and send solidarity messages to the protestors!