Afghans who worked with Washington: US says wants to accelerate visa processing

ISLAMABAD: The United States has conveyed to Pakistan that it is actively exploring all possible options to accelerate its refugee and immigrant visa processing in Pakistan for those Afghans who worked with the US in Afghanistan prior to Taliban regime and now destined to be resettled within the US due to security reasons amid Islamabad’s ongoing deportation drive of illegal foreign nationals.

The Biden administration’s plan was shared with Pakistani authorities during the visit by US Assistant Secretary of State Julieta Valls Noyes who was in Pakistan from December 4-6 “to reaffirm the United States’ steadfast commitment to the protection and safe, efficient resettlement and relocation of eligible Afghan refugees to the United States.”

“In meetings with senior Pakistani government officials, Assistant Secretary Noyes discussed how both countries can work together to accelerate the processing of Afghan nationals eligible for relocation or resettlement in the United States, expressed the U. desire to continue working with the Government of Pakistan as we process individuals in US resettlement pathways, and encouraged upholding international humanitarian principles, including non-refoulement, and protecting vulnerable refugees and asylum seekers,” said a statement by the US Embassy.

During her visit, it stated that Assistant Secretary Noyes appreciated the opportunity to meet international partners, including UNHCR and the International Organisation for Migration, as well as the International Committee of the Red Cross and like-minded diplomatic partners to thank them for their intensive efforts to support and protect Afghan refugees. It added that the assistant secretary also met and heard directly from Afghan refugees on the concerns most important to them.

“The United States has worked tirelessly to ensure the protection of Afghan refugees and asylum seekers, including those in U.S. resettlement pathways. We continue to actively explore all possible options to accelerate our refugee and immigrant visa processing in Pakistan,” the statement further read.

Assistant Secretary Noyes also met with Pakistan’s Special Representative for Afghanistan Ambassador (retired) Asif Durrani and discussed with him the issues pertaining to Afghan refugees.

“Good to visit Pakistani Foreign Ministry and see Special Representative for Afghanistan Asif Durrani again today for discussion on Afghan refugees, protection, and resettlement,” she said in a post on the social media platform, X.

In a post on the X, Asif Durrani said: “It was a pleasure receiving Amb Julieta Valls Noyes, US Assistant Secretary for Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration. Amb Donald Blome also joined the meeting. We discussed issues concerning Afghan refugees and their resettlement.”

As many as 25,000 Afghans who had worked for the American military or government, international organizations and aid agencies, as well as media and human rights groups and escaped the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in 2021 to Pakistan, are waiting to be processed to relocate to the US as the government of Pakistan continues to deport illegal Afghans.

Amb Julieta Valls Noyes’s visit will be followed by another senior officials of the Biden administration to visit Pakistan including Special Representative on Afghanistan Tom West who will arrive today (Thursday) on a two-day visit from (7-9 December). Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Elizabeth Horst is also due to arrive on a four-day visit to the country from 9-12 December.

“These visits are part of ongoing dialogue with the US on a range of issues including, but not limited to, the situation in Afghanistan,” Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch had stated while announcing the latest exchanges from the US.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023