Ahmad, a Hazara refugee, came to Australia 3.5 years ago. He was one of the first to flee from the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan. He worked for a civil society organization that promoted peaceful movements against the Taliban and advocated for universal human rights values. Ahmad’s pilgrimage to safety has been dangerous. In addition, he suffered a traumatic captivity by the Taliban in which he was physically tortured and sexually abused.
In October 2021, Ahmad and his family were finally able to escape to Pakistan. They fled the increasing threat in Afghanistan due to Ahmad’s ethnic background and advocacy work. He needed a Refugee and Humanitarian visa to Australia, which they applied for on December 19. Now, he is still waiting over 42 months later, with no response at all from the Department of Home Affairs. His request is a special immigrant visa—not just for him, but for his fiancé and parents, who are still in Afghanistan under Taliban control.
Ahmad’s concerns for his family’s safety are deeply gnawing. He expressed his grave concerns for his fiancé and mother. He feels their lives are at stake due to the lack of support from an oppressive regime that has recently taken control of Afghanistan. The Taliban’s history of violence against Hazaras, coupled with their strict enforcement of laws restricting women’s rights, has left Ahmad deeply anxious about the future.
“I was trying to reach Kabul airport hoping to leave the country. I was stopped at a checkpoint and they arrested me. They transferred me to unit zero six, which is known for torture. They accused me of working with foreign organisations and being against their Islamic values just because I look different and unusual.” – Ahmad
Ahmad’s application for a visa is still up in the air, just as he has faced an uncertainty that has lasted almost 1300 days. For the last decade he’s lived under constant fear of discovery and arrest by the Pakistan authorities. Now the administration is ramping up efforts to deport Afghan migrants lacking legal status. He painted a powerful verbal portrait of his family’s powerlessness back home in Pakistan. Without support, they live in fear of being returned to Afghanistan.
“We don’t have access to work. We don’t have access to go another place. We can’t go out because Pakistan government deport illegal Afghan refugees. My friend was arrested by Pakistani police and deported to Afghanistan. It is so hard for my family; we haven’t got any support and we are always afraid of being deported to Afghanistan again.” – Ahmad
Maryam Zahid, an Afghan refugee advocate, emphasized the desperate circumstances of those living under Taliban rule. She reiterated that women and girls have been severely impacted by the Taliban’s oppressive restrictions. These restrictions on education, work, and mobility are especially egregious.
“The obvious one is the ban on secondary school and universities and education for girls. Everybody knows about that. They’ve also restricted employment opportunities and their limitation on freedom of movement, requiring a male guardian for travels.” – Maryam Zahid
Given these difficulties, Ahmad has urged the Australian government to fast-track his visa application. He expressed the psychological impact of having to wait for a solution while the environment grows more desperate by the day.
“It has been 42 long and painful months since I applied for the humanitarian visa and right now I want from the Australian government to please process my application and save us from this hopeless situation.” – Ahmad
With mounting frustrations surrounding visa applications from refugees in Pakistan, George Lombard, another advocate for Afghan refugees, highlighted the broader crisis. He noted that many applicants feel trapped between uncertainty in Pakistan and the lack of support from the Australian government.
“People sit in a holding pattern, if you like. We know that a lot of applicants applying from Pakistan have been threatened with repatriation by the Pakistani government.” – George Lombard
To its credit, the Australian government has been overwhelmed with the deluge of applications. Their resources can’t help but feel overwhelmed after the increasing backlog of cases awaiting review. The story is far from over as refugees such as Ahmad continue to languish in uncertainty.
