Vienna Demonstration Denounces Pakistan’s Inhumane Treatment of Afghan Refugees
A gathering of Afghan diaspora expressing discontent outside the Pakistani embassy in Vienna's 19th district, protesting against Pakistan's large-scale deportation of Afghans. Photo: @Ali Ahmad
By ADN
Members of the Afghan community in Austria gathered in front of the Pakistan Embassy in Vienna to protest against the continued inhuman treatment of Afghan refugees by the Pakistan Government.
The protest was organized by Afghan Cultural Association, known as AKIS and was supported by multiple Afghan Diaspora organizations. Nearly 80 members of the Afghan diaspora community participated in this protest and raised slogans against the deportation of Afghan refugees by Pakistan. They held banners against Pakistan’s action and also highlighted the role of Pakistan in interfering in the internal affairs of Afghanistan.
Many prominent Afghans from Austria, including Dr. Abdul Malyar and Dr. Fazel Rahman, chairman of the various Afghan cultural associations in Austria, Stoorai Khan of PTM wing of Austria, spoke during this protest and strongly criticized the actions of Pakistan. They urged the international community to pressurize Pakistan to stop the forced return of Afghans who have been living in Pakistan for very long years. They mentioned that it is only the Pakistan Army that is responsible for the terror attacks in their country as the Pakistan Army has nurtured these terror organizations during their initial years, and them space, and supported them with arms and ammunition. Now Pakistan is paying the price for its own actions. Pakistan cannot shift the blame to innocent Afghans who migrated to Pakistan long ago.
Dr. Malyar who has been in Austria for more than 40 years, spoke in German and mentioned that this forceful deportation by Pakistan is a mechanism to interfere in the internal affairs of Afghanistan and also with the elections around the corner in Pakistan, to divert the attention of the Pakistanis from the core issues in Pakistan. Pakistani establishments, especially the army, are trying their best to camouflage their inability to control terror attacks by projecting Afghan refugees as Frankenstein monsters. With the economy in complete distress, Pakistan has also planned to use this issue to attract more international aid in the name of refugees.
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