Amnesty International asks Pakistan to keep hosting Afghans as their expulsion may put them at risk
Amnesty International is urging Pakistan to maintain its support for Afghan refugees by enabling them to live with dignity and be free from the fear of deportation to Afghanistan where they face persecution by the Taliban
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Amnesty International on Thursday urged Pakistan to maintain its support for Afghan refugees by enabling them to live with dignity and be free from the fear of deportation to Afghanistan where they face persecution by the Taliban.
A forced return of refugees to Afghanistan could put them at a “grave risk,” Amnesty said in a statement, though Pakistan says its ongoing operations against irregular immigration weren't specific to Afghans.
“Afghans in Pakistan are fleeing persecution by the Taliban," said Nadia Rahman, Amnesty’s regional deputy director for research in South Asia. “They are living incredibly precarious lives where they are either having to undergo arduous processes for registering as refugees in Pakistan, or are stuck in lengthy processes waiting to obtain relocation to another country.”
The appeal by Amnesty came two days after Pakistan announced a major crackdown on migrants who are in the country illegally — many of whom are from Afghanistan — and said it would expel them starting next month.
The Taliban government's chief spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, has also opposed Pakistan’s announcement about the migrants, saying it was “unacceptable” and that Islamabad should reconsider the decision.
Pakistan has been hosting Afghan refugees since they fled Afghanistan during the 1979-1989 Soviet occupation.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.