{"id":11137,"date":"2023-10-05T15:33:07","date_gmt":"2023-10-05T15:33:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/afghan-singers-protest-outside-unhcr-quetta-amidst-deportation-fear\/"},"modified":"2023-10-05T15:33:07","modified_gmt":"2023-10-05T15:33:07","slug":"afghan-singers-protest-outside-unhcr-quetta-amidst-deportation-fear","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/afghan-singers-protest-outside-unhcr-quetta-amidst-deportation-fear\/","title":{"rendered":"Afghan Singers Protest Outside UNHCR Quetta Amidst Deportation Fear"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Afghan singers staging a protest demonstration outside UNHCR’s office in Quetta: Photo provided by the author <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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Syed Ali Shah:\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

QUETTA:<\/strong> Over a dozen Afghan singers staged a protest demonstration outside the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) office amidst possible deportation and crackdown on Thursday morning.<\/p>\n

Carrying white banners, the Afghan singers feared possible deportation after the Pakistan government set November 1st as the final date for all illegal immigrants to leave the country.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe fear deportation\u201d, Afghan singers<\/h2>\n

\u201cWe have all valid refugee documents, nevertheless, we still fear deportation\u201d, Ahmed Shedayee, an Afghan singer told Daily Quetta Voice. Shedayee also shared similar concerns of over a dozen Afghan singers and demanded that the UN agency provide them support.<\/p>\n

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Fear of deportation: #AfghanSingers<\/a> protest outside #UNHCR<\/a> office in #Quetta<\/a> #Afghanrefugees<\/a> #IllegalImmigrant<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/ZWd5pgJVoe<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Quetta Voice (@VoiceQuetta) October 5, 2023<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

During the protest, the Afghan singers were also carrying their singing devices outside the UNHCR office. \u201cWe provided them counseling and addressed their fear of deportation\u201d, Humera Kareem, the UNHCR\u2019s Quetta Spokesman said.<\/p>\n

Counseling provided to singers: UNHCR<\/h2>\n

Protesting singers expressed concern about their life and security in their own country.<\/p>\n

\u201cSingers are not safe in Afghanistan\u201d, another young singer lamented. He said neither singers can perform their professional duties nor they can roam freely in Afghanistan.<\/p>\n

Pakistan hosts 1.7 million Afghan refugees<\/h2>\n

The Afghan singers chanted full-throated slogans and demanded of the UNHCR to provide them support and convey their message to the Pakistan authorities in this regard. \u201cUNHCR is committed to supporting refugees\u201d, Humera Kareem mentioned.<\/p>\n

Pakistan has been hosting millions of Afghan refugees for the last more than four decades. Currently, Pakistan is hosting over 1.7 million Afghan refugees. In his recent press conference in Islamabad, the federal interior minister, Sarfaraz Bugti said the Afghan refugees were involved in a number of terrorist activities across the country.<\/p>\n

Afghan singers left after the Taliban take over<\/h2>\n

Most of the Afghan singers left their war-torn country after the Taliban completely took over two years back. Since then, the Afghan singers have been residing in Pakistan and other parts of the globe. Afghan Taliban banned music and declared it un-Islamic.<\/p>\n

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