A young Afghan refugee stuck in Pakistan awaiting a visa since 2021 has ended her own life, according to the head of Afghan Refugee Council in Islamabad, Mir Ahmad Raufi.
It’s the fifth such case in Islamabad in two years, with severe mental and emotional problems among young Afghan refugees on the rise, Mr Raufi said.
Fatima* died Wednesday morning in Islamabad after she allegedly attempted suicide and was transferred to hospital, according to three sources.
The 20-year-old woman had been living with her family in Pakistan since they fled Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover on August 15, 2021.
Mr Raufi told Rukhshana Media that many Afghan refugees in Pakistan who fled Taliban-controlled Afghanistan face huge uncertainty with humanitarian visas and asylum cases taking years to process, as well as the stress of economic challenges and unknown futures.
He called on the the United Nations representative office and all countries accepting migrants to pay attention to the cases of Afghan immigrants or risk more devastating disaster such as Fatima’s death.
Neighbours and friends say that Fatima’s family has lived in Pakistan for two years on a “P2 visa”, but it had not progressed.
An Afghan refugee who knew the family, Mohammad Naeem, told Rukhshana Media that the family’s financial situation was dire after two years of using all their assets.
“[Fatima]’s family didn’t even have money to take her to the hospital. She was transferred with the financial help of one of our patriots. Her grave site has been given to us by the citizens of Pakistan. A number of other immigrants are busy collecting cash for her family,” he said.
Fatima’s burial has been delayed until an autopsy is completed.
“[Her] body is still in forensic medicine and the legal procedures have not been completed so far. After submitting the body, the location and time of its burial will be shared,” head of legal committee of the Afghan Immigrant Council in Islamabad, Mohammad Aman Shaikhul-Islam, said.
Fatima’s family declined to be interviewed as they were too distressed to comment.
*A pseudonym has been used for privacy reasons.
