A Pakistani court suspends the deportation of Afghan singers and musicians

PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) — A Pakistani court on Friday stopped the deportation of 150 Afghan musicians and singers for at least two months, ordering authorities not to expel or force them to return home until their asylum applications are decided, their defense lawyer said Friday.

These Afghans were among an estimated half a million others who escaped <a class=«Link AnClick-LinkEnhancement» data-gtm-enhancement-style=«LinkEnhancementA» href=«https://apnews.com/More» than half a million others escaped afghanistan after the taliban takeover in with thousands waiting for resettlement united states and elsewhere. target="_blank" rel=«noopener»>Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover in 2021.

Like the rest of the world, Pakistan has so far not recognized Afghanistan’s Taliban government. The international community has been wary of the Taliban’s harsh measures, imposed since their takeover, especially in restricting the rights of women and minorities.

Mumtaz Ahmed, a lawyer who fought the legal battle for 150 Afghan performers, told The Associated Press that the court order was the first of its kind and a big relief for his clients, who have lived in a state of uncertainty since 2023, when Pakistan launched a major crackdown on migrants in the country illegally.

The crackdown drew widespread criticism by U.N. agencies which said such forced expulsions of Afghans could lead to severe human rights violations — including family separations and the deportation of minors.

In the past 18 months, Pakistan has deported more than 800,000 Afghans who were living in the country without valid documents after entering the country through various border crossings since 2021.

Ahmed said under the court order, Pakistan is required to decide