FIRST FLIGHT FOR AFGHAN REFUGEES LIVING IN PAKISTAN ARRIVES IN LONDON

The first special flight carrying 132 Afghan refugees leaving Islamabad airport for Stansted, London.

Fri 27 October 2023:

The first charter flight to relocate Afghan refugees living in Pakistan has arrived in Britain.

The Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority confirmed that the first flight, carrying 132 Afghans, left the country for London on Thursday.

The move comes as thousands of people who worked with or for the British government in Afghanistan and fled the Taliban are waiting for relocation to Britain from Pakistan.

Earlier this month, Parliament heard that thousands of Afghans who assisted Britain and took refuge in Pakistan with the promise of resettlement in Britain now face being deported to their Taliban-ruled country due to a lack of housing.

Ministers have acknowledged the delay in relocating those who had worked with the British government and armed forces in Afghanistan was because of a shortage of suitable accommodation.

Pakistan has ordered that all unregistered Afghan refugees must leave the country by November 1 or face repatriation.

There are currently two routes under which eligible Afghans can be brought to live in Britain – the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS) and the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (Arap) scheme.

The Ministry of Defence declined to confirm details of the flight.

A spokeswoman said: “The UK has made an ambitious and generous commitment to help at-risk people in Afghanistan and, so far, we have brought around 24,600 people to safety, including thousands of people eligible for our Afghan schemes.

“We continue to honour our commitments to bring eligible Afghans to the UK, with new arrivals going directly into settled accommodation where possible.”

-DPA

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