ISLAMABAD: A decision by President Donald Trump’s administration to halt visa processing for refugees has caused uncertainty and shock at an English school for Afghans, who are awaiting resettlement in the US.

Nearly 1,660 Afghans cleared by Washington to resettle in the US, including family members of active-duty US military personnel, are having their flights cancelled under the order suspending US refugee programmes.

However, the FO said on Thursday that Pakistan was not informed of any changes to its agreement with the US about the resettlement of Afghans currently in the country.

Normally enthusiastic students were quiet or crying in class after the news broke this week, said Sayed Hasib ullah, a teacher whose application US is currently in process.

Around 1,660 people cleared for resettlement have had their flights cancelled this week

Some feel betrayed, with many — including those who fled Taliban rule in Afghanistan — having already spent years in limbo.

“It was really a horrible moment for us. We have been waiting for almost three years and there is no hope anymore,” he said.

The sudden delay has upended the plans of many Afghans in Pakistan and left them in despair despite undergoing extensive vetting.

One of Hassib ullah’s students, Fatima, has no idea whether an official email she received on Jan 14, seeking documents to proceed with her family’s travel arrangements for the US is still valid.

Shawn VanDiver, the founder of #AfghanEvac, a leading coalition of resettlement and veterans groups, said there were 10,000-15,000 Afghans in Pakistan waiting for visas or resettlement in the US.

Many have waited for years after being instructed when applying to travel to a third country for processing. For many the only option was Pakistan, which borders Afghanistan but, facing economic and security crises, began deporting tens of thousands of Afghans in 2023.

Many students and teachers said they had contacted UN agencies and the US embassy this week and were sharing any information they could find on the internet in Whatsapp groups. But there were few clear answers.

Resettlement

“We have an arrangement in place with the United States, by virtue of which it is committed to take Afghans who are in Pakistan to [the] US for resettlement by September 2025,” Shafqat Ali Khan said at the weekly FO briefing.

Mr Khan emphasised that no formal communication about the suspension had been received.

He took a cautious stance on President Trump’s announcement about retrieving leftover US military equipment from Afghanistan, describing it as a matter between Washington and Kabul.

“This is essentially an issue between two governments, which is the United States and Afghan interim authorities,” he said.

Published in Dawn, January 24th, 2025