Pakistan’s Peshawar High Court has ordered the police not to deport Afghan artists from Pakistan until their immigration cases are resolved.

Previously, some Afghan artists in Pakistan had approached the Peshawar High Court to seek political asylum.

These artists, who are residing in Pakistan without legal residency documents, had requested the court to prevent their deportation from the country.

The lawyer of the Afghan artists requested political asylum, and asked the court to allow them to stay in Pakistan until their fate is determined.

Judges Ijaz Anwar and Wiqar Ahmad listened to the issues faced by these artists in Pakistan and reviewed their asylum applications.

The petitioners’ lawyer also mentioned during the hearing that these artists had applied for asylum with the UN Refugee Agency, but were being harassed due to their lack of legal residency documents in Pakistan.

The Peshawar High Court postponed the hearing to the next session, but instructed the authorities not to deport them until their case is addressed.

This situation arises as some Afghan artists fled to Pakistan and Iran following the Taliban's takeover in August 2021.

Upon seizing control of Afghanistan, the Taliban banned playing of musical instruments, singing, and listening to music.

Additionally, the Taliban has arrested and tortured several musicians during their nearly three-year rule over Afghanistan. They have also destroyed musical instruments during house inspections. The Taliban consider playing and listening to music against “Islamic Sharia”.

Consequently, many Afghan artists fled to neighboring countries out of fear of persecution and torture by the Taliban.

Some of these artists do not have legal residency documents in these countries and are subject to deportation. However, these artists are determined not to return to Afghanistan under a regime that criminalises their profession.