Rights group warns of forced deportations of Afghan refugees from Pakistan

Pakistan has ramped up pressure on Afghan refugees to leave the country, despite serious risks of persecution and economic hardship under Taliban rule, according to a leading human rights organisation.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) urged Islamabad on Wednesday to halt coercion against Afghan refugees and allow those at risk to seek protection.

"Pakistani officials should immediately stop coercing Afghans to return home and give those facing expulsion the opportunity to seek protection," said Elaine Pearson, HRW's Asia director.

She also called on the Taliban authorities to “prevent any reprisals against returning Afghans and reverse their abusive policies against women and girls.” 

Pakistan has set a 31 March deadline for the deportation of all undocumented foreigners, most of whom are Afghans.

The HRW appeal comes amid mounting reports of arrests and forced deportations. The Afghan Embassy in Islamabad recently claimed that Pakistani authorities have stepped up arrests of Afghan citizens in Islamabad and Rawalpindi. 

However, Pakistan has denied these allegations, arguing that it is only working to facilitate the voluntary return of Afghans.

Since the Taliban takeover in 2021, more than 500,000 Afghans have sought refuge in Pakistan without legal documentation. Many have been waiting for resettlement in the US and other countries.

Additionally, 1.45 million Afghan refugees are registered with the UN refugee agency, many of them having fled during the Soviet occupation of the country in the 1980s.

Last July, Pakistan extended the stay of registered refugees until June, ensuring they would not face arrest or deportation until then. However, uncertainty persists for thousands, especially after US President Donald Trump suspended refugee resettlement programmes in January, leaving 20,000 Afghans stranded in Pakistan.

Many of those awaiting relocation to the US have urged Washington to reinstate the programme.

Humanitarian risks

HRW has warned that conditions in Afghanistan have significantly worsened since the Taliban seized power in August 2021.

"Afghanistan is not safe for any forced refugee returns," Pearson stressed, calling on countries that pledged to resettle at-risk Afghans to expedite their cases.

HRW highlighted serious human rights concerns in Afghanistan, noting that the Taliban has banned post-primary education for women and girls. Human rights defenders, journalists, and former government employees also face repression under the regime.

Since 2023, more than 800,000 Afghans have returned to Afghanistan or been forcibly expelled from Pakistan, according to the International Organisation for Migration.

More than 70% of returnees have been women and children, including secondary school-aged girls and women who are now barred from education and work under Taliban rule.

According to HRW, officers have “raided houses, beat and arbitrarily detained people, and confiscated refugee documents, including residence permits" and "demanded bribes to allow Afghans to remain in Pakistan”.  

Pakistan’s Interior Ministry has ordered undocumented Afghans, including those with Afghan Citizen Cards, to leave Islamabad and Rawalpindi or face deportation.

“Afghans holding Proof of Registration cards must leave by 30 June,” the ministry said.