The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said in a press release that it is “extremely alarmed” by Pakistan’s deportation announcement, as there are currently over two million undocumented Afghans living in the country.
Of the two million, more than 600,000 are immigrants who left Afghanistan after the Taliban reclaimed power in August 2021.
Some of those facing deportation include civil society activists, journalists, human rights defenders, former government officials and security force members. Also at risk are women and girls, who are banned from obtaining secondary and tertiary education, working in many escorts and other aspects of daily life because of policies in place in Afghanistan, by Taliban leaders.
If Pakistan follows through with the deportation, the OHCHR said they could be at risk of human rights violations if sent back to Afghanistan, including torture, cruel and inhumane treatment and arbitrary arrest and detention.
Pakistan made the announcement that it was going to deport undocumented Afghans on Oct. 3, and according to the U.N. Human Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM), there has already been a “sharp increase” in Afghan deportations.
The UN said that a report from UNHCR and IOM claimed that the number of Afghans who fled Pakistan between October 3 and October 14 was 59,780 people, and 78% of those going back to Afghanistan said they feared being arrested again because they left Pakistan.
“As the 1 November deadline approaches, we urge the Pakistan authorities to suspend forcible returns of Afghan nationals before it is too late to avoid a human rights catastrophe,” UN officials said. “We call on them to continue providing protection to those in need and ensure that any future returns are safe, dignified and voluntary and fully consistent with international law.”
FOX NEWS
