The conversation surrounding Afghan refugees in Pakistan is a difficult one to navigate. While Pakistan has the right under international law to repatriate all refugees to their home countries, it must be careful that such discussions do not spill over into general xenophobia and other forms of racism, such as blaming refugee groups for all the country’s problems. We saw one such spillover effect in the Sindh Assembly on Tuesday, where illegal immigrants were termed a burden on resources and the root cause of terrorism and street crimes. Specific communities were even named, including some that have been residing in Pakistan since its formation, as illegal immigrants that need to be expelled.

Firstly, we must remember that individuals are responsible for crimes, not entire communities. By using language that conflates communities with crime, we risk further discrimination against law-abiding citizens who have nothing to do with such criminal activities. This is an extension of racial profiling, which we must guard against. It is the same racial profiling that Pakistanis argue against when they face it in foreign countries.

For example, when European far-right governments accuse Muslims of being fundamentalists and terrorists, our government rightly rejects those claims. Therefore, if we reject such claims internationally, it is also incumbent on us to reject them within Pakistan. The Sindh government should not proceed with a blanket policy that fails to differentiate between legal and illegal, documented and undocumented, lawful and unlawful, all in the name of law and order.

The Centre and the Federation are already managing the repatriation of Afghan refugees in close coordination with the United Nations and other international human rights bodies to ensure that this is done equitably, safely, and appropriately. The Sindh government should leave this matter to the Centre and focus on maintaining law and order without getting embroiled in a conflict that is already being handled elsewhere.