Pakistan Escalates Forced Deportation of Afghan Refugees
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Synopsis
On April 7, reports indicate that Pakistan has intensified the deportation of Afghan refugees, forcibly repatriating thousands since the March 31 deadline. Key provinces like Punjab and Karachi have seen significant numbers of deportees, amidst growing domestic and international concern over the treatment of Afghan nationals.
Key Takeaways
- Over 6,700 Afghans deported since April 1.
- Deportations concentrated in Punjab and Karachi.
- Police crackdowns in Rawalpindi targeting Afghan nationals.
- International organizations condemn the deportation policy.
- Concerns over the safety of returning refugees.
Islamabad, April 7 (NationPress) Thousands of Afghan refugees are being forcibly repatriated from Pakistan as the country has ramped up the deportation process following the expiration of the March 31 deadline.
Since April 1, more than 944 Afghan families, comprising 6,700 individuals, have faced deportation, as reported by local media.
The most substantial transfer occurred in the Punjab province, where 5,111 Afghan nationals were relocated to transit camps or holding centers across the province for repatriation, including 2,301 children and 1,120 women.
From Karachi, over 300 Afghans were sent back to their homeland.
Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon reported that those deported from Karachi included 79 children, 37 women, and 191 men.
In addition to the deportations, a police crackdown in Rawalpindi continues to target Afghan nationals residing in the country.
Law enforcement agencies in Rawalpindi apprehended 736 Afghan nationals on Sunday, including 140 women and 164 children, and transferred them to the Afghan refugee camp near Golra Mor. Of the 736, 179 were deported to Afghanistan.
Security agencies have identified 100,000 Afghans residing in over 150 'Afghan Colonies' across Punjab alone, according to an official who spoke to the leading daily, Dawn.
Many Afghans in Pakistan’s Hassan Abdal expressed their discontent with the “sudden implementation” of the deportation orders. They stated that they sold all their possessions at throwaway prices and hastily closed their businesses, resulting in significant losses.
Meanwhile, those forcibly deported reported being arrested by Pakistani police while working and subsequently sent back to Afghanistan, leaving behind their businesses and family members.
“I operated a small hotel business at the fruit market. The police raided me, detained me in Haji Camp in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for four nights, and now I have been deported via Torkham,” reported deportee Gul Mohammad to Afghan media outlet TOLO News.
Other deportees mentioned that while Pakistan demands visas, it fails to provide a proper system for extending them. Instead, visas are available at exorbitant prices on the black market, rendering them unaffordable.
“They arrested us while we were working. Whatever money we had, they took it. They brought us to the police station and treated us harshly. They don’t see us as good neighbors,” another deportee, Aqakhan, stated.
Pakistan’s deportation policy has faced criticism, with numerous international organizations condemning the action. They have expressed concern over the severe risks faced by refugees upon their return amid uncertainties in Afghanistan.
The Pakistani government has dismissed the concerns raised by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and other agencies regarding the mass repatriation of Afghan refugees.
