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<p><del class="ministerial">Resettlement of eligible Afghans remains a top priority
for this government. As of June 2023, around 24,600 vulnerable people affected by
the events in Afghanistan have been brought to safety. This includes British Nationals
and their families, Afghans who loyally served the UK and others identified as particularly
at-risk, such as campaigners for women's rights, human rights defenders, Chevening
scholars, journalists, judges and members of the LGBT+ community.</del></p><p><del
class="ministerial">We are aware of the recent Government of Pakistan announcements
regarding Afghans in Pakistan and appreciate the impact of this on those awaiting
resettlement. HMG has engaged intensively with the Government of Pakistan to secure
assurances that none of those eligible under the Afghan Relocations and Assistance
Policy (ARAP) and the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS) will be subject to
deportation.</del></p><p><del class="ministerial">Visas continue to be issued to individuals
eligible for the ACRS and ARAP schemes and flights are continuing to bring eligible
Afghans to the UK.</del></p><p><del class="ministerial">The ACRS is not open to applications.
Instead, eligible individuals are prioritised and referred for resettlement to the
UK through the existing pathways under this scheme. Our Afghan schemes have been designed
to be fair and equitable in identifying those in need of resettlement or relocation
to the UK.</del></p><p><del class="ministerial">We recognise there are many vulnerable
individuals who remain in Afghanistan and the region. Whilst the government maintains
a generous resettlement offer, we must recognise that the capacity of the UK to resettle
people is not unlimited and difficult decisions have to be made on who will be prioritised
for resettlement.</del></p><p><ins class="ministerial">Resettlement of eligible Afghans
remains a top priority for this government. As of June 2023, around 24,600 vulnerable
people affected by the events in Afghanistan have been brought to safety. This includes
British Nationals and their families, Afghans who loyally served the UK and others
identified as particularly at-risk, such as campaigners for women’s rights, human
rights defenders, Chevening scholars, journalists, judges and members of the LGBT+
community.</ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">We are aware of the recent Government
of Pakistan announcements regarding Afghans in Pakistan and appreciate the impact
of this on those awaiting resettlement. HMG has engaged intensively with the Government
of Pakistan to secure assurances that none of those eligible under the UK’s Afghan
Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) and the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme
(ACRS) will be subject to deportation.</ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">Visas
continue to be issued to individuals eligible for the ACRS and ARAP schemes and flights
are continuing to bring eligible Afghans to the UK.</ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">The
ACRS is not open to applications. Instead, eligible individuals are prioritised and
referred for resettlement to the UK through the existing pathways under this scheme.
We are not certain which female Afghan judges the question refers to; however our
Afghan schemes have been designed to be fair and equitable in identifying those in
need of resettlement or relocation to the UK. As has been the practice under successive
governments, the Home Office does not routinely comment on individual cases.</ins></p><p><ins
class="ministerial">We recognise there are many vulnerable individuals who remain
in Afghanistan and the region. Whilst the UK maintains a generous resettlement offer,
we must recognise that the capacity of the UK to resettle people is not unlimited,
and difficult decisions have to be made on who will be prioritised for resettlement.</ins></p>
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