The Delhi High Court has asked the Centre to find a long-term solution to the UNHCR protest issue posed due to the closure of Indian offices by its decision.”
The court also said that it would hear all those who applied for refugee status in India and have been waiting for years for processing.
Delhi High Court asked Central Government to find long term solution to UNHCR Protest Issue in Delhi high court judge was quoted as saying “It is a grave concern that there are thousands of people from various countries across the world who have been waiting for years and are now protesting”.
The order came on a plea of afghan protestors, Abdul Hameed and 10 others who have been waiting for years for their refugee status to be cleared by the UNHCR and the Indian authorities. The people, who approached Delhi’s high court said they were facing difficulty due to their stay in India without a valid visa. They also stated that they are facing difficulties in getting medical help due to their stay without valid papers.
It is said that under UNHCR rules Afghan refugees in India remain in India only until their papers are cleared, which means that once these refugees get the refugee status from either UNHCR or the Government of India, they are free to leave India for any other place around the world.
Over the last three years, in the backdrop of a drought-like situation in Jammu and Kashmir and increasing terrorism attacks by Pakistan-based groups, several non-Muslim Pakistanis have approached UNHCR for seeking refugee status. However, due to some technical issues, many Pakistani refugees have been stuck here as there is no proper system to process their papers.
During the hearing at Delhi’s high court today, senior lawyer Indira Jaising said that even though there are thousands of people who had applied for visa extension in India but due to various reasons they were not issued them. She also stated that there were no uniform procedures adopted by both the UNHCR and Indian authorities, which resulted in a delay of all cases. In response to that court said that Central Government should find a permanent solution for this issue.
During the hearing, the Delhi High Court judge asked the government to process all refugee status and give valid visas to these people so that they are free to move out of the country after getting refugee status. It was further said by the court that it would hear all those who applied for refugee status in India and have been waiting for years for processing.
