UN Raises Alarm Over Pakistan’s Mass Deportation of Afghan Migrants

A United Nations committee has expressed concern over Pakistan’s mass deportation of undocumented Afghan migrants, citing the Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan, VOA reported yesterday.

The committee reported that approximately 700,000 individuals, including 101,000 between April and June 2024, have been deported or returned to Afghanistan. The Pakistani government initiated this campaign in response to a rise in militant attacks, linking them to undocumented foreigners.

Reports indicate that from September to December 2023, 28,500 Afghans faced harassment, forced evictions, and detention, prompting many to flee back to Afghanistan. The U.N. committee highlighted the risks faced by vulnerable groups, urging Pakistan to improve its legal framework regarding refugees. Currently, Pakistan is not a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention and lacks national legislation for refugee protection.

Despite hosting around 1.4 million official Afghan refugees, Pakistan has faced criticism for its treatment of undocumented migrants. The government maintains that the deportations are not targeted at any specific nationality and claims most returnees left voluntarily.