Pakistan’s media reported last month that Saudi Arabia alone had arrested more than five thousand Pakistanis on charges of begging or vagrancy and sent them back to Pakistan.
After the routes were closed, thousands of Afghan refugees—together with hundreds of cargo trucks carrying goods, were left stranded, and the main trade corridors between the two countries were blocked.
Internationally, 26/11 also forced governments to reassess Pakistan’s role in harbouring extremist groups. Even as global institutions-imposed sanctions on Pakistan and the United States pressed for action, Pakistan’s deep state continued shielding key operatives.
A private Pakistani television channel, in its allegedly satirical program, labelled illegal Afghan refugees as being involved in terrorism, robbery, smuggling and numerous criminal incidents.
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Local Government, Mina Khan Afridi, said on November 11 that peace is a common issue for all the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
India has refused to join the Vienna Neutral Expert proceedings on the Indus Waters Treaty, stressing that the Treaty remains in abeyance following Pakistan’s continued support for terrorism. Pakistan plans to attend, but New Delhi says all IWT obligations are suspended.