Pakistan set to illegally expel more Afghan refugees

Right groups and left parties in Pakistan have opposed last year’s expulsion of hundreds of thousands of Afghans by the government, which also accused them of participating in terrorism and other criminal activities

August 30, 2024 by Abdul Rahman
Pakistan's Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi announced that the country would expel more Afghan refugees. Photo: Mohsin Naqvi/ X

Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi declared on August 28 that his government is going ahead with a fresh round of expulsion of “undocumented Afghan refugees” from the country. This is despite numerous human rights advocates and organizations expressing deep concerns over their fate. 

Naqvi made the announcement in a meeting with UN humanitarian coordinator for Afghanistan Indrika Ratwatte, who was visiting Pakistan. According to the statement issued by the ministry after the meeting, Naqvi affirmed that no one will be allowed to stay in Pakistan without a visa or other legal documents.

The first round of mass deportations of some of the 1.7 million “undocumented” Afghani refugees from Pakistan in November last year was met with widespread criticism. The government of Pakistan has claimed it has been preparing for the second round of expulsions for months now, according to a report in The Dawn.

There are close to 3 million Afghans living as refugees in Pakistan. Some have been there for decades, and went to the neighboring country to escape war, chaos, and human rights violations in their country.

According to the UNHCR, there are 2.18 million Afghan refugees in Pakistan. The number does not include the Afghans who came after the Taliban took over power in August 2021, estimated to be anywhere between 600,000 to 800,000 by the UN.

The Pakistani government has labeled all refugees who do not have documents such as proof of registration or Afghan citizenship cards as “undocumented aliens,” to be expelled.  

A large number of Afghans, around 44,000, have been living in Pakistan since August 2021, waiting for repatriation by Western countries. Most of these Afghans worked with the international forces during the two decades long occupation of the country and were promised repatriation by the US and its allies during their chaotic withdrawal after two decades long occupation, three years ago. 

At least 25,000 of these stranded Afghans are waiting to be relocated to the US alone. The Pakistani government has already filed a complaint to the UN refugee agency about the slow pace of repatriation done by the western countries despite their promises.  

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had announced the expulsion of refugees from the country as one of his government’s priorities immediately after taking charge earlier this year. 

Violation of international and humanitarian laws   

The current Pakistani government has launched numerous attacks on refugees, accusing them of participating in terror activities, smuggling and other crimes in the country. It also has labeled them a burden on the country’s ailing economy. 

The announcement of a fresh round of expulsion of refugees coincides with the rise in terror attacks across the country. Scores of people were killed by terrorist groups in Pakistan’s Balochistan province earlier this week.

When the first round of deportations took place in November 2023, it had also coincided with the increase in the terror attacks. Nearly half a million refugees were expelled from Pakistan.

During last years’ expulsion drive, several accusations were lodged against the Pakistani authorities of abuse, extortion, and harassment of refugees. Rights groups, including the UN, have pointed out that the expulsion of refugees is illegal under international law and a violation of humanitarian law. 

Read: Afghans continue to bear the cost of two decades of US occupation

Rights groups have also called the expulsion of Afghan refugees a callous act which disregards the possible persecution, human rights violations, and economic suffering most of these refugees will face when they return to Afghanistan. Since 2021, Afghanistan has been governed by the Taliban, which has implemented regressive policies regarding women and minorities. Following the Taliban’s defeat of the US-backed government, the US and its western allies also placed restrictive sanctions on Afghanistan and seized some of its foreign assets, which rapidly deteriorated the economic situation in the country, where today over 85% of the population lives under the poverty line.

UN Human Rights chief Volkar Turk had said that “in the current context of Afghanistan, this [expulsion of refugees from Pakistan]” exacerbates an “already precarious humanitarian situation.”

Ammar Ali Jan, head of leftwing Haqooq-e-Khalq Party in Pakistan, had called the forceful expulsion of the Afghan refugees a “gimmick” by the government to deceive the Pakistanis to believe that it will solve their problems. 

“Detaining, deporting, or harassing Afghan refugees will not improve Pakistan’s economic, political or security situation. It’s a ploy used by the frightened and incompetent government to distract the public. Stop being fooled by these pointless gimmicks,” Jan had said during expulsions last year.