Kazakh MP Urges to Assist 300 Ethnic Kazakhs Facing Deportation from Pakistan

Majilis deputy Yerlan Sairov has appealed to the Kazakh authorities to intervene in the case of around 300 ethnic Kazakhs (Qandas) who risk being deported from Pakistan to Afghanistan, Orda.kz reports.

According to Sairov, the group — comprising 40 families — fled from Afghanistan to Karachi, Pakistan, two years ago. They were visited by the Kazakh ambassador, who assessed their living conditions and promised assistance.

However, Pakistan has recently announced plans to deport them on August 30.

The deputy said he contacted the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan, but was told the authorities could not help because the individuals lacked documentary proof of their Kazakh origin. Such certificates could allegedly only be obtained by returning to Afghanistan — something Sairov described as dangerous.

This is a matter of life and death. I appeal to Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov and Foreign Minister Murat Nurtileu: we must save our Kazakhs. Let’s create an opportunity for the resettlement of 300 people. If we cannot help ourselves, we must turn to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees so they can be recognized as refugees. Only then will their safety be ensured, Sairov said.

Orda.kz previously reported that ethnic Kazakhs in Afghanistan face severe restrictions: women’s movement is limited, children are deprived of education, and culture and language survive only through community efforts. 

In August 2024, the “Cultural Center of Kazakhs of Afghanistan” opened in Mazar-i-Sharif to unite Kazakhs of different clans, preserve traditions and language, and support those seeking to return to their ancestral homeland. 

Despite their ties to Kazakhstan, many face bureaucratic barriers and have not received specific assistance from the embassy, with some unable to prove their Kazakh identity to obtain qandas status.

Original Author: Dinara Bekbolayeva

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• Living in Pakistani Limbo: Ethnic Kazakhs from Afghanistan Seek Resettlement