The United States administration has said that it was discussing the crackdown on Afghan refugees with Pakistan. Many people from the neighbouring country had arrived here after the Taliban came to power in Afghanistan.

“This is a matter we’re discussing with our Pakistani counterparts. We’re in regular discussion with our Pakistani counterparts about this,” US State Department spokesperson Ned Price said during the press briefing on Thursday.

When the Taliban took the power after the withdrawal of foreign troops, many people moved to different parts of the world. Pakistan, sharing a long border with Afghanistan, had also taken many refugees.

The query was related to apparent arrests made by the government for the illegal presence of refugees. The questioner also sought comments on any discussion with the Pakistani authorities to give them till the situation is better in Afghanistan.

“We encourage all states to uphold their respective obligations with regard to Afghan refugees or asylum seekers, and to refrain from returning them to anywhere where they could face persecution or torture,” Price added.

Thousands of people arrived here on the basis of valid documents and some of them came here on a visa, Defence Minister Khajawa Asif told Aaj News on February 27.

“Out of them, 100,000 went back. But remaining did not return they are here,” he had told Asma Shirazi on her show Faisla Aap Ka. His statements were part of a detailed reply on his visit to Kabul where he, along with a delegation, met with the interim rulers.

Pakistan and the US have many times urged Afghanistan to not allow its soil to be used as a “launchpad” for attacks against other countries–a demand the Afghan Taliban had promised to fulfil. Islamabad has seen an uptick in terrorist activities since the end ceasefire with the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban, whose chief claims attacking Pakistan from within its soil, however, being evasive about getting any support from the Afghan regime—its ideological twin next door.

The United States had asked Pakistan to bring people here, on transit, who are in thousands of numbers, have not returned to the US as the country was still processing it, the defence minister had added.

“There are many problems like this which have compounded and we are trying to find a solution to them,” Asif had said.