PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) granted interim relief to 123 Afghan nationals—including former defense and security personnel, journalists, lawyers, and teachers—who faced potential expulsion from the country.
A two-member bench comprising Justice Waqar Ahmad and Justice Inamullah Khan presided over the landmark hearings.
Addressing the urgent appeals of the high-risk Afghan professionals, the court strictly barred authorities from arresting or deporting the petitioners to Afghanistan for a period of 60 days.
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High Court Sets Strict 7-Day Deadline for Federal Government
The core of the court’s directive targets the federal administration’s handling of these cases. The bench directed the federal government to officially determine and finalize the legal status of all 123 petitioners within a strict seven-day deadline.
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The defense panel, representing the vulnerable professionals, argued that the applicants fled to Pakistan because their former careers, political ties, or gender placed their lives at immediate risk under the current Afghan regime. They further emphasized that forcing their return would violate international laws protecting refugees and asylum seekers.
While the additional attorney general opposed the petitions—arguing that expired visas made their stay illegal under the Foreigners Act of 1946—the high court prioritized the humanitarian and legal safety of the professionals, halting all eviction actions until the state completes its official review.
