Tens of thousands of Afghan citizens are currently leaving Pakistan in anticipation of an impending deportation deadline. The United Nations agency responsible for refugees has issued a dire warning, highlighting the potential for a severe human rights crisis.
According to Deutsche Welle, Afghan nationals are being compelled to return to their home country due to a set deadline imposed by the Pakistani government, set to expire on October 31. Reports from both the United Nations and international migration organizations reveal that, between October 3 and 15, tens of thousands of Afghans departed from Pakistan.
Representatives from these organizations have urgently appealed to the Pakistani government to halt the forcible repatriation of Afghan citizens before it's too late to avert a severe human rights disaster. They express deep concerns that many of those facing deportation could encounter egregious human rights violations upon their return to Afghanistan, including arbitrary arrests, torture, cruel and inhumane treatment, among other potential injustices.
Malala Yousafzai, a Nobel laureate hailing from Pakistan, has also decried this policy. She emphasizes that Afghan refugees, including children, women, men, and the elderly who are fleeing persecution by the Taliban, deserve support, dignity, and safety. They should not be subject to additional obstacles and persecution. She stands with the UN experts' call and urges the Pakistani government to reevaluate its rushed mass deportation policy.
For years, Afghan individuals have sought sanctuary in neighboring Pakistan as they flee from the ravages of war and the oppressive Taliban regime. According to the Pakistani government's estimates, there are approximately 4.4 mn Afghan refugees residing in the country, with 1.7 mn among them lacking proper documentation.
Pakistan asserts that this new wave of mass deportation does not discriminate against any specific nationality. The authorities maintain that none of the detained individuals have been subjected to cruel or inhumane treatment.
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