Forced Migration and Security Implications for Host Country: A Study of Afghan Refugees in Pakistan

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to understand forced migration which may lead to security implications for the host country. This study utilized the theory of Forced migration with the nexus of securitization, which causes the mass movement of people across the world borders, in the South Asian region. In order to authenticate the theory in South Asian region, situation of Afghan Refugees in Pakistan has been analyzed to understand that to what extent and how do Afghan Refugees have been forced and cause security implications for Pakistan, especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province as well as what are other dimensions of these implications. Security concerns regarding refugees have been increased after the attack which has made researchers emphasize the impact of security concerns on the establishment of migration policy. The events of September 2011 did not initiate the insecurities, uncertainties, ambiguities, and complexities in regards to migration policy; rather they accelerated dynamics that were already deeply rooted in the Pakistan internal security regime. To analyze the current migration policy, migration patterns, and security threats, direct interviews have been conducted (specify the number of respondents) along with participatory observations. Triangulation is a validating strategy that is used in this research. Triangulation aided to add validity and confidence in order to draw and justify the conclusion of this study more than one source required for confirmation. Further, analysis of the responses and evidence from other sources suggest that Afghan refugees are not responsible for deteriorating the security situation in Pakistan as well as they don‟t posit a security threat to the Country. However, there are some other extremist elements which have entered in Pakistan‟s territory causing security threats and have been using Afghan refugees as play card which need to be highlighted in future studies. There is no strong verification of Afghan migrants' association in such deplorable wrongdoings. Thus, security turns into an issue of guarding the trustworthiness of the state's regional space against perilous outside others.