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Arab News
19-07-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Taste of exile: Beloved Afghan street food disappears from Pakistani cities amid deportation drive
ISLAMABAD/KARACHI: In a bustling corner of Islamabad's F-10 Markaz, the scent of sizzling oil and green chili chutney once signaled the presence of Afghan street food. For the latest updates, follow us on Instagram @ Today, the aroma is gone and so are the stalls that created it — the hum of grills and laughter and life. 'There used to be a few [Afghan fries stalls] around my neighborhood and then one morning, they just upped and left,' said Hamza Nofil, 28, who used to daily have the crinkle-cut, ridged, and golden chips, always served with the signature green chutney. 'So, you know, it breaks my heart.' The heartbreak is shared by many in Pakistan's urban centers where those fries, and the people who served them, were part of a larger story — of exile, adaptation and community — that is now vanishing as a result of a sweeping deportation drive targeting Afghan nationals. Since November 2023, Pakistan has expelled nearly one million Afghans as part of a crackdown on undocumented foreigners. The government has also not renewed Proof of Registration (PoR) cards for 1.4 million Afghan refugees, allowing their legal stay to lapse in June 2024. While the policy has drawn criticism from rights groups and international powers, it is the quieter losses, of flavor, memory, and a sense of belonging, that now echo through city markets and street corners. Among the casualties are the street food stalls, modest, smoky kitchens on wheels, where generations of Afghan refugees introduced Pakistanis to flavors from across the border: the fries dunked in secret chutney, paratha-wrapped burgers and mounds of Kabuli Pulao rice heaped with raisins, nuts and slow-cooked beef. Shahid Ali, 22, a Pakistani vendor in F-10, said he remembered when there were six or seven Afghan fries stalls in the area, as well as those selling Afghan burgers wraps packed with shredded chicken or kebab, slathered with sauces and served in paratha. 'You won't see any Afghans around here because the government sent them back to Afghanistan,' Ali said. As Afghan families depart, Pakistani vendors have tried to mimic the recipes but something vital has been lost. 'We are missing them [Afghan food stalls],' said Iqra, 29, a banker who only gave her first name. 'I will definitely miss them, especially their green chutney. I loved that.' 'A WORLD IS GOING' In Karachi's Al-Asif Square, nicknamed 'Small Kabul' for its long-settled Afghan community, the losses are not just culinary. They are existential. 'The craftsmen are going, the shopkeepers are leaving,' said Sayed Abdul Wali, a 27-year-old shopkeeper. 'A world is going to Afghanistan.' Abdul Kabir, a Pakistani who sells traditional Afghan naan flatbreads, said demand had plummeted. 'Where once three sacks of flour would be used, now we only use one,' he said. 'Even the morning batch is still lying here.' Anthropologist Saeed Husain warned of cultural erasure, saying more than flavor was being lost. He described Afghan food culture as a form of lived knowledge, passed down from generation to generation, evolving with each retelling. 'All these traditions will be lost,' Husain said. 'And then we'll just have copies, really cheap copies… all of that will be lost too now.' Afghans began arriving in Pakistan in large numbers after the Soviet invasion of 1979, with successive waves fleeing war, drought, and political instability. In urban Pakistan, cities like Karachi and Islamabad, they became traders, laborers, mechanics, and cooks, helping build the very urban fabric from which they are now being erased. 'Pakistan is a country founded in 1947 and made by refugees,' said Dr. Sanaa Alimia, author of Refugee Cities: How Afghans Changed Urban Pakistan. The professor said Afghans were deeply woven into the economic and cultural fabric of urban centers and played a foundational role in shaping the cities of Pakistan, building homes, laying roads, running businesses — and serving food. 'There are many examples, from agricultural production and farming techniques, to mechanics, to doctors… artists, tandoor wallas, and so much more,' Dr. Alimai said. But she cautioned against reducing the worth of Afghans to their economic value. 'Human and political rights are about protecting and valuing people irrespective of if they contribute to the economy or not.' Back in Karachi, Mohsin, a local customer, feared not just the loss of food but of taste, tradition, and togetherness. 'If our Afghan brothers leave,' he said, 'then perhaps the taste and flavor will leave too.'
Arab News
30-06-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
More than 15,000 Syrian refugees return home from Jordan in May
LONDON: More than 15,000 Syrian refugees registered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees have returned to their home country from Jordan since May. The UNHCR reported that the figure represents a 45 percent increase compared to April, when nearly 10,500 Syrian refugees entered the country through Jordan's Jaber border crossing. Since the collapse of the Assad regime in December, 75,000 Syrian refugees have returned home from Jordan alone, which is more than one percent of the estimated six million Syrians who fled the country during the civil war that began in 2011. As of March, the UN estimated that nearly 1.2 million Syrian refugees and internally displaced people have returned home following the change in power in Damascus. The UNHCR announced the transfer of thousands of refugees from Jordanian communities and refugee camps to Syria in May, marking a significant increase from April, according to the SANA news agency. Jordan has received about 628,000 Syrian refugees, according to UNHCR figures as of December 2024.
Al Arabiya
13-06-2025
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
Turkey says over 273,000 Syrians returned home
More than 273,000 Syrians who fled their country's civil war to neighboring Turkey have returned home since the fall of former president Bashar al-Assad in December, Turkey's vice-president said Friday. 'The number of people who have voluntarily returned to Syria since December 8, 2024 has exceeded 273,000,' Cevdet Yilmaz was quoted as saying by the official Anadolu news agency. Some 2.7 million Syrian refugees are still in Turkey, according to interior ministry figures released in May. The Turkish government, which supports Syria's new rulers, is hoping to accelerate the return of refugees to ease tensions generated by their presence in parts of the country.
Arab News
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
UK must restart processing of Syrian asylum claims: Charity
LONDON: Government ministers in the UK are facing calls to restart the processing of Syrian asylum applications after new figures revealed that more than 7,000 people remain in 'indefinite limbo.' After the fall of the Assad regime in December, the UK paused decisions on Syrian asylum and permanent resettlement claims, the BBC reported. The pause has remained in place for five months, but now many Syrians living in Britain have been left in limbo, awaiting decisions on their applications. The Refugee Council charity has called for the resumption of claim processing on a case-by-case basis, while the government said decisions were paused 'while we assess the current situation.' The Home Office lacks 'stable, objective information available to make robust assessments of risk' relating to Syrians, a source told the BBC, adding that Britain's policy on the matter 'will remain under constant review.' The newest figures, for the end of March, show that 7,386 Syrians in the UK are awaiting an initial decision on their asylum claims. After the UK paused decisions on Syrian asylum applications, the number of claims filed by Syrian nationals fell by 81 percent, figures show. Those claiming asylum often lack the right to work in Britain, but are provided with government-funded accommodation and financial support. This leaves many Syrians 'stuck in limbo' and increases the burden on the taxpayer, said Jon Featonby, chief policy analyst at the Refugee Council. At the end of March, more than 5,500 Syrians were living in UK government-funded accommodation. The British government has pledged to clear the large backlog of overall asylum claims, but Featonby said the Syrian issue is creating a 'blockage' in the system. He added that many Syrians also fear the UK government changing its position on the Syrian Arab Republic and judging it a safe country. This could lead to the rejection of thousands of asylum applications.
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Call for freeze on Syrian asylum claims to end
Ministers are facing calls to start processing Syrian asylum applications again, as new figures showed more than 7,000 people are still in limbo. The UK paused decisions on Syrian claims for asylum and permanent settlement in December, after the fall of President Bashar al-Assad. But more than five months on, Syrians in the UK still do not know when their claims will be assessed. Charities including the Refugee Council say the current situation has left people in an "indefinite limbo" and are calling for claims to be processed again on a case-by-case basis. The government said decisions were paused "while we assess the current situation". A Home Office source said this was "a necessary step while there is no stable, objective information available to make robust assessments of risk" on people returning to Syria and the policy "will remain under constant review". A total of 7,386 Syrians were waiting for an initial decision on an asylum claim by the end of March, according to the latest figures published on Thursday. Assad's regime was overthrown by a rebel offensive led by the Islamist militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) in December, after years of civil war. HTS leader Ahmad al-Sharaa was named as Syria's interim president earlier this year, but the situation remains uncertain and HTS is still designated a terrorist group by the UK. In December, the Conservatives suggested most Syrian asylum claims were related to the threat posed by Assad's government and those people could return when it was safe to do so. However, Haytham Alhamwi, chairman of the Syrian British Consortium, said while many Syrians left because of Assad's rule others may still feel unsafe to return. "Many of them are still calling for democratic change in Syria, which is not guaranteed at the moment. Some of them were afraid of those military groups, they didn't come running from Assad himself," he told the BBC. The number of Syrian asylum claims fell by 81% following the UK's decision to pause decisions. However, despite a sharp drop, 299 Syrians came to the UK on small boats in the first three months of this year - 5% of the total number of arrivals. UK pauses decisions on Syrian asylum claims Syrian asylum seekers 'terrified' after UK claims paused 'Relief but also stress': Syrians in London on Assad's downfall People claiming asylum do not normally have the right to work while their case is being considered and are provided with government-funded accommodation and financial support to pay for essentials if they would otherwise be destitute. Jon Featonby, chief policy analyst at the Refugee Council, said that as well as leaving Syrians "stuck in limbo" this also had an impact on the taxpayer as the government is paying to house many of them. More than 5,500 Syrians were living in government-funded accommodation at the end of March. Of these, 2,130 were in hotels, which the government has pledged to stop using for asylum seekers. With Labour promising to clear the overall backlog of asylum claims, Mr Featonby said the situation was causing a "blockage" in the system. Azadi - not his real name - arrived in the UK by small boat in June 2023 and is waiting for a decision on his asylum application. The 25-year-old, who is Kurdish, said he was grateful to the UK government for providing him with food and accommodation but he wanted to be able to work and pay tax. "I stay at home a lot of the time," he told the BBC. "Every day is the same. I am not progressing so it is stressful." Earlier this year, the new Syrian government signed a deal with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) which integrated its military and civilian institutions into the state and recognised the Kurdish minority. But Azadi said he did not trust the new government and felt Syria was not safe for Kurds, who were denied basic rights during Assad's rule. He said his hometown had been destroyed by the civil war and there was no way for him to get an education there. "It's not a life there at all," he added. The pause also applies to Syrians who have already been granted refugee status and were initially given the right to stay in the UK for five years before they can apply for permanent settlement - also known as indefinite leave to remain. The Refugee Council says that whilst this group still have the right to live and work in the UK, their temporary status can often make it harder to secure a job or housing. Mr Featonby said Syrians in the UK were also nervous about whether they will be allowed to stay if the government's position on Syria changes and it is deemed a safe country. Leen Albrmawi arrived in the UK in October 2019 and applied for indefinite leave to remain last year. However, she said her "whole life collapsed" when the government paused decisions for Syrians in December. The 28-year-old had been accepted to study business at university but was told she was not eligible for a student loan because she did not have the right to live in the UK permanently. After spending the last five years obtaining the necessary qualifications to apply, Leen was devastated she could not afford to take up the offer. Meanwhile, her employer, a telecoms company, has been chasing her for an update on her leave to remain application. Leen still has the right to work while her application is pending but is concerned she could lose her job. She also fears that if the Home Office changes its position on Syria she could be forced to leave the UK. "I literally have no one in Syria, no family, nothing," she told the BBC, adding that her hometown had been destroyed in the civil war. Leen lives in Salford with her mother and sister, who already have British citizenship as they came to the UK earlier than her. "I've been in the UK now nearly six years, so I've built my whole life here," she said. Mr Featonby said the Refugee Council recognised the situation in Syria had changed but there was unlikely to be clarity on how safe the country would be in the future anytime soon. He suggested people who were seeking protection for reasons unrelated to the previous regime could have their claims prioritised. Sign up for our Politics Essential newsletter to keep up with the inner workings of Westminster and beyond.
