Trump suspends resettlement of all refugees to US

Washington: More than 1,600 Afghans eligible to enter the US as refugees will see their entry blocked under an executive order signed by Donald Trump on Monday evening that suspends the resettlement of all refugees to the United States indefinitely.

The US ban on Afghan refugees is a betrayal of those who supported ISAF and NATO, leaving them stranded while expecting Pakistan to shoulder the burden.

Western countries oppose accepting refugees on lame excuses but force Pakistan to bear the increased crisis.

Pakistan has hosted millions of Afghan refugees for decades, fulfilling its humanitarian obligations. Instead of easing the burden, the US ban only intensified challenges for Pakistan and neighboring host countries.

Western nations criticize Pakistan for repatriation of illegal immigrants but ignore their role in abandoning Afghan refugees when they need help most.

HRW, Amnesty International, and the EU focus on Pakistan’s policies while turning a blind eye to the Western hypocrisy of banning refugees after using them as pawns.

The international community must hold the US and EU accountable for their bans and pressure them to contribute fairly to managing the Afghan refugee crisis.