Islamabad (TDI): Pakistan on Friday sought clarity from the United States on its policy about the resettlement of Afghan refugees in third nations, and urged the global community to address the issue of US weapons left in Afghanistan.
“US has suspended the resettlement process, so we are waiting for further clarification on that issue” before making any decisions, FO spokesman Shafqat Ali Khan said at the weekly press briefing.
Pakistan has, meanwhile, refrained from openly endorsing President Donald Trump’s call to repossess US military equipment left in Afghanistan.
However, it urged the global community to address the issue, warning these arms were being used by terrorists in Pakistan.
Khan said, “The global community should help deal with this problem.”
Pakistan has long raised concerns that weapons left behind by Ameican forces during the 2021 withdrawal have been fuelling violence on its soil, especially as terrorism resurged following the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan.
However, initial warnings from Pakistan found little traction in the US.
The spokesperson said, “The issue of weapons left behind by the American forces remains a serious concern for Pakistan for one particular reason, that those weapons are being used by the terrorists for attacks inside Pakistan.”
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Pakistan also seeks clarity from Washington on its policy regarding the resettlement of Afghan refugees in third nations before making any decisions, Khan said, adding, the “Washington has suspended the process, so we are waiting for further clarification on that issue.”
One of President Trump’s first actions upon returning to White House was to halt the resettlement programs for Afghans, who had worked with American forces before its 2021 withdrawal or were involved in human rights activism.
The suspension has disrupted the processing and relocation of about 25,000 Afghans currently in Pakistan, many of whom remain at risk of persecution under the Taliban interim government due to their past affiliations.
Moreover, the spokesman welcomed the continuation of the US oversight program for its fleet of F-16 fighter jets, terming it a “regular feature” of bilateral defence cooperation.
“F-16 oversight program is a regular feature of Pakistan-United States defense cooperation under the ‘end user deal’ and Islamabad welcomes its continuation,” he said.
The statement comes as the Trump administration released $397 million for the program that monitors Pakistan’s use of US-made F-16s to ensure they are employed for counterterrorism operations and not against India.
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The move is part of a broader release of $5.3 billion in previously frozen foreign assistance, primarily allocated to security and counternarcotics programs.
The funds will support the Technical Security Team, a group of American contractors working in Pakistan since 2019 to oversee compliance with end-use monitoring deals.
Return of Pakistanis
The spokesman confirmed that Pakistan had accepted the return of 8 nationals who were staying illegally in the United States, marking the first batch under current discussions between the two nations on the issue.
“We can confirm that 8 Pakistani citizens who were staying illegally in the US have indeed returned yesterday,” he said.
He stressed Pakistan’s policy of repatriating its nationals once their nationality is verified.
