Washington:The Trump administration is reportedly planning to deport Afghan refugees to Pakistan as early as next Monday. This move comes despite concerns about the potential return of these refugees to Afghanistan, which is currently under Taliban rule.

According to Anadolu Agency – English, the deportation flight has not been publicly announced. However, rights advocates and families of detainees have indicated that it could take place soon, based on information from NBC News. This development occurs amidst ongoing uncertainty about Afghan refugees at Camp As Sayliyah in Qatar, where the U.S. government has been extending deadlines for their removal. The State Department initially set a deadline of March 31 for evacuating the camp, later extending it to September 30, and most recently postponing the closure by an additional nine months.

There have also been discussions earlier this year about the possibility of transferring Afghan refugees from Qatar to the Democratic Republic of Congo, where an Ebola outbreak was reported. The proposed deportation to Pakistan has sparked significant concern among rights groups and the families of the refugees, with fears about the safety of the refugees and the risk of their eventual return to Afghanistan.

AfghanEvac, an organization that supports Afghan refugees, criticized the administration's plans, accusing it of preparing these deportation flights while public attention is diverted by the upcoming U.S. midterm elections. The organization emphasized the lack of transparency, stating, "The government won't say where these flights land, because it knows what happens to the people on them when they do." They further stated that a government confident in its actions would not conceal them.

The actual timing and destination of the proposed deportation flight have not been officially confirmed, adding to the uncertainty and anxiety surrounding the future of the Afghan refugees currently residing at the Qatar facility.