After living in Pakistan for years, thousands of undocumented Afghans are now in hiding to escape a government order to deport illegal aliens as they fear persecution by the Taliban government back home.

After the deadline set by Pakistan for their voluntary departure from the country expired on November 1, the authorities began “locate and gather” operations of illegal Afghans throughout the country

“The gate is locked from the outside … we are locked inside, we can’t go out, we can’t turn on the lights, we can’t even speak loudly,” said a 23-year-old Afghan woman, speaking via internet from a shelter where she said , dozens more were hiding until earlier this week before moving to new hiding places.

Their supporters put a lock on the gate so neighbors think the house is uninhabited, said other people hiding there.

Local residents helping the Afghans arrange for food and water to be given to them secretly during the night.

The 23-year-old Afghan woman fears persecution if she returns to her country because she converted from Islam to Christianity in 2019.

She is one of thousands, activists estimate, hiding in Pakistan to avoid deportation

They include over a million Afghansmany of whom the Pakistani government claims are involved in militant attacks and crimes.

“I know many women, girls, who say they would rather die than go back to the regime under the Taliban,” said Sijal Shafiq, 30, a human rights activist in Karachi who has helped Afghans find refuge.

There was no immediate comment from a Taliban government spokesman on whether those returning would be screened or prosecuted under the law. Pakistan’s foreign and interior ministers did not respond to a request for comment on the exemption from deportation of people in danger.

The Pakistani government has so far rejected calls from the United Nations, humanitarian organizations and Western embassies to review the deportation plan or to identify and protect Afghans at risk of persecution if they return.

“Worse than prison” – Shocking testimonies

Reuters spoke to dozens of irregular migrants who are trying to avoid detection during the sweeping business which takes place throughout the country. Due to their condition, they declined to be named or asked that their full details not be released.

These include one 35 year old fatherwho has also converted to Christianity and fled to Pakistan with his nine-year-old daughter.

Another one girl at the shelter she said she feared for her life because she belongs to the Hazara ethnic minority, which has been persecuted by hardline Sunni extremists in Afghanistan for years.

“It’s worse than prison” said a 22-year-old Afghan man, who said he makes sure the lights stay off all night to avoid detection.

Afghan singer Wafa, 28, fears her days of safety in Pakistan, where she fled shortly after the Taliban came to power more than two years ago, are coming to an end as her visa has expired.

Speaking from a relative’s home in Islamabad, she said she hoped she could be granted asylum in France or Canada, or make Pakistan her home country, as her singing career, which began 11 years ago, has not it is now accepted in Afghanistan, as the Taliban have banned public musical performances. But still she has not received any news and applying for a visa extension remains financially unprofitable for her family. Meanwhile, he doesn’t leave the house to avoid surprise checks by the Pakistani police.

“I’m a singer…I know what’s going to happen to me when I come back,” Wafa said.

Saleh Zada, a 32-year-old singer in Karachi, said he left Afghanistan a year ago.

“I used to sing in my village for friends and relatives, we had many celebrations, celebrations with songs,” said Saleh Zada, speaking from an apartment owned by his relatives. “My family advised me to leave Afghanistan, I was afraid of the Taliban“, he said, adding that the fear of being arrested by the Pakistani police, because he does not have a valid visa, keeps him locked up at home for days.

“Life is hard here (in Pakistan) but I have to save my life.”