500,000 Afghans Forced to Flee Pakistan as Tensions Escalate
500,000 Afghans forced to leave Pakistan amid crackdown on undocumented migrants; tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan escalate as commercial border crossing remains closed. Meanwhile, National Foods expands to UAE.
In the past four months, over 500,000 Afghans have been forced to flee Pakistan after a crackdown on undocumented migrants. Pakistan ordered the Afghans to leave or face arrest, leading to a rush to the border in the days leading up to an exit deadline set by Islamabad. The UN's Afghan mission expressed concerns that some of the Afghans forced to return may be at risk of persecution, arbitrary arrest, detention, or torture. The situation has led to a dispute over document rules for commercial drivers, with the busiest border crossing between the two countries remaining closed for the tenth day.
Pakistan is demanding visas and passports for commercial drivers, documents many Afghans do not have, leading to over 400 trucks stranded on the Pakistan side of the Torkham crossing. Tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan have been escalating, with Islamabad accusing the Taliban government of failing to root out militants staging attacks in Pakistan from their soil. Meanwhile, Kabul has always rejected the allegations, leading to a more strained relationship between the two countries.
On the other hand, National Foods, a leading food products manufacturer in Pakistan, has established its first overseas manufacturing facility in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates (UAE), aiming to increase its global footprint and boost exports. The facility will help in better access to the Middle Eastern markets and will be the first overseas manufacturing facility for the company, which is primarily engaged in the manufacturing and sale of food products including pickles, ketchups, and desserts.
With the Pakistani diaspora growing in large numbers in Gulf countries, the demand for Pakistani products is also on the rise, according to analysts. National Foods export sales increased from Rs. 2.2 billion to over Rs.2.4 billion last fiscal year, mainly to the UAE, with exports increasing by Rs.638 million during the first three months of the current fiscal year. This substantial growth in exports highlights the increasing demand for Pakistani products in global markets.
