A 24-year-old Afghan Asylum Seeker awaiting resettlement in Canada has died by suicide in Islamabad, as delays in immigration processing and Pakistan’s recent threats of deportation add to growing anxiety among asylum seekers.
The man, identified as Shir, was found hanged late Monday night in a guesthouse in the Peshawar Mor area, according to sources familiar with the case. His resettlement application was reportedly in its final stages, but prolonged uncertainty and mounting pressure on Afghan refugees may have contributed to his distress, refugee advocates say.
His death follows Pakistan’s warning that Afghan Asylum Seekers waiting for relocation under Western resettlement programs could be deported if their cases are not processed quickly. For many, deportation would mean returning to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, where they face potential persecution.
“The uncertainty surrounding their future is overwhelming,” a source told The Afghan Times on condition of anonymity. “Many refugees have been waiting for years, only to face more obstacles and the threat of being sent back.”
Pakistan hosts over a million Afghan refugees, including thousands applying for resettlement in the U.S., Canada, and Europe. However, crackdowns, arrests, and high visa costs have worsened conditions for many.
“People are losing hope,” the source said. “They cannot go back to Afghanistan, and life in Pakistan is becoming unbearable.”
Advocates warn that without urgent action, more lives could be lost.
