Human Rights Watch (HRW) says that Pakistani authorities have committed widespread abuses against Afghan immigrants in an attempt to pressure them to return to Afghanistan. The reported abuses include confiscation of property, demolition of homes, destruction of identification documents, and instances of physical and sexual violence.
In October, the Pakistan caretaker government announced a plan known as the Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan, asking all undocumented immigrants to leave the country or face deportation. Although the plan purported to apply to all foreigners residing in the country illegally, it appears designed to target Afghans, millions of whom have sought refuge in Pakistan over the years. Since then, nearly 400,000 Afghan immigrants have been deported to the impoverished Taliban-controlled Afghanistan.
In a statement released on Wednesday, November 29, HRW stated that Pakistani authorities and police have engaged in mass detentions, night raids, and physical assaults against Afghan immigrants. “They’ve also demanded bribes, confiscated jewelry, and destroyed identity documents. Pakistani police have sometimes sexually harassed Afghan women and girls and threatened them with sexual assault,” The organization said.
Among those being deported from Pakistan, according to Human Rights Watch (HRW), are individuals who face a high risk of persecution upon their return to Afghanistan. These include women and girls, human rights defenders, journalists, and former government employees who fled the country after the Taliban takeover in August 2021. “It’s all completely at odds with Pakistan’s international obligations not to forcibly return people to countries where they face a clear risk of torture or other persecution,” the organization added.
Pakistani authorities claim that undocumented refugees are a major source of insecurity and illegal activities in their country, justifying the crackdown as a counter-terrorism measure. However, the US-based International Crisis Group believes that the mass deportation is primarily driven by Pakistan’s loss of patience with the Taliban regime, rather than any direct threat posed by the immigrants themselves.
The deportation of Afghan immigrants takes place amidst a severe humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan and the approaching winter. Deportees arrive with nothing as Pakistani authorities have restricted them to carrying no more than 50,000 Pakistani rupees ($175) each. Humanitarian agencies have reported a shortage of tents and other basic necessities for those returning to Afghanistan.
In a recent announcement, Pakistan’s Ministry of Interior warned Afghan immigrants to refrain from any political or electoral activities ahead of the upcoming general election in the country. The ministry stated that failure to comply with this directive could result in deportation, regardless of legal status. The ministry also cautioned Pakistani citizens against engaging in the employment of illegal foreigners or assisting them in establishing businesses in the country.
