[Today’s Prayer] Afghanistan Protests Pakistan's Expulsion of Refugees: "Unilateral Actions Exacerbate Problems"

Amid heightened tensions as Pakistan resumed forcible repatriation of Afghan refugees within the country this month, a high-level meeting between the two countries was held. According to AFP

On 20th , Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ishaq Dar visited Afghanistan the day before and met with Acting Prime Minister Mohammad Hassan Akhund of the Taliban government and Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaki.

Acting Prime Minister Akhund told Deputy Prime Minister Dar, "Pakistan's unilateral measures are aggravating the problem and blocking a solution."

On X (formerly Twitter), he urged the Pakistani government to "allow Afghan refugees to return with dignity."

The Afghan Foreign Ministry said, "Minister Muttaki expressed deep concern and disappointment over the situation of Afghan refugees in Pakistan and the forced repatriation."

Meanwhile, the Pakistani Foreign Ministry said in a statement that “Deputy Prime Minister Dar stressed the importance of resolving security and border management issues to maximize the potential of trade and connectivity in the region.”

While the focus of the talks differed, the two sides agreed to continue dialogue and cooperation to ease tensions.

The Afghan Foreign Ministry said, “Minister Dar assured that refugees will not be mistreated.”

The Pakistani Foreign Ministry also said in a statement that “the two sides reaffirmed their commitment to fostering mutually beneficial relations and shared the importance of maintaining high-level contacts.”

There are millions of Afghans living in Pakistan, including those who fled the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979 and those who fled after the Taliban took over the country in 2021.

Pakistan repatriated about 900,000 undocumented Afghan refugees in 2023, and has begun forcibly repatriating registered refugees starting this month, saying it will also deport them.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees ( UNHCR ) announced on the 14th that over 127,000 Afghans have returned to their homeland this month.

From these people, 26,000 were arrested by Pakistani authorities and forcibly deported, while the rest are understood to have voluntarily crossed the border under the threat of deportation.

Source : News

Therefore let all the faithful pray to you while you may be found; surely the rising of the mighty waters will not reach them. You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. (Selah) (Psalm 32:6-7)

We hear that Pakistan's foreign minister has met with the acting prime minister of the Taliban government, Amir Khan Muttaki, to reaffirm their commitment to maintaining dialogue and working together to reduce tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Millions of Afghans have migrated to Pakistan since the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan, but in 2023, the Pakistani government repatriated about 900,000 unregistered Afghan refugees and this month announced that it is also repatriating registered refugees.

God, we pray for the people of Afghanistan, who have suffered through multiple wars and Taliban regime control, and for the Afghan refugees who have taken refuge in Pakistan, but fear being repatriated!

Allow the gospel to the poor in heart, that Afghan refugees may come to believe that the truth of life is found in the cross of Jesus, that they may be set free from the fear of deportation, and that they may rise up as Your people who enjoy peace in Your security!

May You wipe away the tears stained by war and Taliban regime control with the love of Jesus Christ in the midst of Afghanistan, breaking the power of death by the power of the cross and restoring them to the hope of heaven!

God, the hiding place and refuge of Afghanistan, anoint the Afghan people as Your children who will always worship You and pray to You, even when things that cause them to lose their faith flood in like a flood, and turn them into a pious Afghan people who will meditate and pray to You to the end!

Through the prayers of the Pakistani and Afghan churches, may the Afghan refugees scattered to different countries rise up as a victorious Afghan church in the final war!

Send out missionaries from Afghanistan to seek the Kingdom of God from Persia to Jerusalem, according to Your call!

Through the Afghan diaspora, arise an Afghan FM army that shines life and light and saves souls in every scattered region!