Many Afghan families have gone into hiding to avoid being deported to their home country, where they would likely face human rights abuses. Many have already been repatriated and are hiding in Kabul, according to messages received by Philoi Global, which works for the resettlement of refugees from persecuted minorities.

More than 1.4 million undocumented Afghan refugees are at imminent risk of deportation after Pakistan imposed a deadline of November 1 for the refugees to leave the country, vowing mass deportations for those who stay. Many fled Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover in 2021, but Pakistan ceased to provide documentation to Afghan refugees after 2006.

“Their application has been sitting for more than 18 months. I lodged it in May 2022. It’s sitting in the department and they are desperate for their safety.” – Jude Simion

Jude Simion, Philoi’s founder and director, urges the Australian government to expedite the applications for humanitarian visas by Afghan families in Pakistan. He is encouraging the heads of churches and individuals to write to the Minister for Immigration, Andrew Giles, urging him to expedite these applications based on the threats these refugees and asylum-seekers face.

Simion has received reports of families being turned out on the streets since the government vowed to prosecute anyone found harbouring an illegal immigrant.

“They have been waiting for their applications to be processed by Australian Immigration for the last 18 months. We are requesting the Department of Immigration to expedite these applications,” Simion said.

He said the British government had chartered flights to evacuate Afghan refugees from Pakistan whose applications they had approved. The UK and US have given letters to people whose applications for humanitarian visas are being processed.

“Australia has not done anything like that, so we are trying to push the Australian authorities through the Australian ambassador in Pakistan, Neil Hawkins.”

“We are also asking people to write to their local MP about the situation and also to the Pakistani Ambassador in Australia, Muhammad Ashraf.”

(Contact Philoi for letter templates.)

Simion is receiving many text messages from Afghans in Pakistan awaiting possible resettlement in Australia, including one who worked for an Australian NGO: “Before the Taliban took over Afghanistan, I worked for an NGO that was funded by Australian money. I was able to escape to Pakistan, but Pakistan is sending Afghans back to Afghanistan. If I am sent back to Afghanistan, I and my whole family will be killed because the Taliban promised to do this.

“I need to come to Australia quickly because I am in this danger in Pakistan. I gave my life to helping Australians to help Afghans. Now, I need to be protected, myself and my family, by Australia who I have been working for. Please help me and my family in our desperation.”

Among the Afghan families Philoi Global is working with are Mariam and Bilal (not their real names) who are in Australia and afraid for the safety of Mariam’s brother Yusuf in Pakistan.

“Bilal is a convert to Christianity and he led Yusuf to faith. Yusuf fled to Pakistan and he is simply hiding. He fears any time he can be arrested and deported. Mariam has written to the Australian embassy in Pakistan, and she’s written to her local MP, Chris Bowen. She is desperate to secure a visa to ensure her brother is safe.

“We are directly working with 28 families. Six of these families are in grave danger.” – Jude Simion

“It’s very important for Australians to understand that the families are here and they are applying for their family members to come to Australia and their application has been sitting for more than 18 months. I lodged it in May 2022. It’s sitting in the department and they are desperate for their safety.”

“We understand over 800 converts, representing around 200 families, are affected; we are directly working with 28 families. Six of these families are in grave danger as the house owners have evicted them.”

One case involves Fatima and her two brothers, who fled Afghanistan because her father became a Christian and was arrested by the Taliban. They have also become Christians and are in hiding in Pakistan.

“They have gone to a UNHCR registration office, but UNHCR takes more than two years to finalise an application as an asylum seeker. So Fatima and her two brothers are in grave danger; if the authorities find out, they can be arrested and deported back.”

Click to write to the Minister for Immigration, Andrew Giles, and to the Consul General of Pakistan in Sydney, Muhammad Ashraf, urging them (respectfully) to expedite applications for Afghan refugees from Pakistan.