Report in TOLOnews Online, Nov 01, 2023 at 8:09 PM
Pakistan’s decision to forcibly deport unregistered Afghan refugees has sparked domestic and foreign reactions.
Amnesty International in a statement asked the government of Pakistan to immediately reverse its decision to forcibly deport Afghan refugees.
This organization noted that Pakistan must meet its international legal obligations including the principle of non-refoulement and stop the crackdown against, and harassment of, Afghan refugees across the country.
“Amnesty International strongly reiterates its call to the Government of Pakistan to immediately reverse its decision to forcibly deport unregistered Afghan refugees ahead of the deadline set for tomorrow,” the statement reads.
“This unreasonable decision of the caretaker government of Pakistan will not only harm Afghanistan-Pakistan relations, it will also isolate Pakistan in the international community and it will come under the criticism of the people,” said Wahid Faqiri, an international relations expert.
Meanwhile, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, in a statement said that this decision of Pakistan could trigger a humanitarian crisis.
“HRCP strongly believes that this decision —which will apply to an estimated 1.7 million Afghans, could trigger a humanitarian crisis … and will invariably affect vulnerable refugees and asylum seekers, which include women, children, the elderly, persons living with disabilities, persons from low-income groups,” HRCP’s statement reads.
In the meantime, the Chargé d’Affaires of the Afghanistan Permanent Mission to the UN, Naseer Ahmad Faiq, while speaking in the United Nations General Assembly Third Committee meeting, said that the return of Afghan refugees should be voluntary and based on internationally accepted principles.
“We are deeply concerned about Pakistan’s recent decision to deport unregistered Afghan refugees and said that we urge Pakistan to reconsider this action given the gravity of the situation in Afghanistan,” Faiq noted.
The Islamic Emirate in a statement once again called on Pakistan “not to forcefully deport Afghans without preparation; rather, give them enough time, and countries should use tolerance in terms of good neighborliness, Islamic brotherhood and human affection.”
“This is not a reasonable and legal decision. Forced deportation of refugees from any country is not a legal step. Afghan refugees are being deported in a wrong way and time,” the Islamic Emirate’s spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told TOLOnews.
Earlier, the Human Rights Watch also criticized the forced deportation of Afghan immigrants from Pakistan and added that Pakistan expels Afghan immigrants from this country by threatening and arresting them.
https://tolonews.com/index.php/afghanistan-185832
