Amidst rising tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan, Islamabad has initiated the second phase of its controversial Afghan deportation plan, aiming to send undocumented Afghan refugees back to their home country. This move, according to Al Jazeera, began on Sunday and is expected to force over 800,000 Afghans to leave Pakistan, following the first phase in November 2022, which saw the expulsion of 541,000 refugees. The plan’s controversial nature stems from the potential consequences for those who do not leave voluntarily, facing arrest and deportation by Pakistani authorities.
Before the first phase of repatriation, the Pakistani government claimed that nearly 4.4 million Afghan refugees resided in the country, with an estimated 1.73 million undocumented. The government justified the crackdown by citing security concerns and the strain on Pakistan’s already struggling economy, attributing recent armed attacks in the country to groups and individuals from Afghanistan. However, the Taliban regime in Kabul vehemently denies these accusations.
The controversial plan has attracted international criticism. In November 2022, United Nations Human Rights Chief Volker Türk expressed his alarm at the news of Afghan refugees facing persecution in Pakistan, stating that the situation contradicts Pakistan’s long history of generously hosting Afghan refugees. Türk highlighted the precarious humanitarian situation in Afghanistan, exacerbated by the forced exodus of refugees who lack financial resources and are forced to pay bribes or lose their belongings.
Philippa Candler, the representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Islamabad, urged Pakistani authorities to assess the profiles of undocumented Afghans before expulsion, recognizing their need for international protection. Candler emphasized that these individuals are refugees seeking protection, not involved in terrorist activities, and should not be expelled without proper consideration. She stressed that any alleged involvement in terrorism should be addressed separately.
It’s important to note that Pakistan is not a signatory to the 1951 UN convention safeguarding refugee rights and lacks domestic laws protecting refugees and those seeking international protection within its borders.
