AI calls on Pakistan to stop crackdown on Afghan refugees

KABUL (Pajhwok): Amnesty International (AI) has condemned the widespread harassment, detention, and forced expulsion of Afghan refugees in Pakistan.

In a post on X, AI wrote since 2023, over 840,000 Afghan refugees have been forced to leave the country.

As part of an escalating deportation campaign, Pakistani authorities are intensifying efforts to expel Afghan nationals from Islamabad and Rawalpindi—two major cities where refugees have sought protection and been processing their immigration cases.

AI warns that many of those in these cities, particularly undocumented individuals and Afghan Citizen Card holders, face the risk of being forcibly deported back to Afghanistan.

This crackdown has been described as both cruel and dangerous, placing countless lives at risk. It is also a clear violation of the principle of non-refoulement, which prohibits the deportation of individuals to countries where they would face harm.

AI has called on Pakistan to immediately halt this harassment and unlawful deportation of Afghan nationals.

On Thursday, Pakistan has ruled out any extension the March 31 deadline for the expulsion of Afghan nationals residing illegally in the country.

sa