Tuesday is the deadline for all undocumented Afghan migrants to leave Pakistan, forcing thousands to cross the border in fear of detention and deportation.
Rights groups and the United Nations have slammed Pakistan’s decision to evict the refugees.
Pakistan’s Interior Ministry announced on October 3 that all migrants living without legal status in Pakistan had 28 days to leave voluntarily or face deportation.
“The Pakistani government is using threats, abuse, and detention to coerce Afghan asylum seekers without legal status to return to Afghanistan or face deportation, Human Rights Watch said on Tuesday.
“Many Afghans at risk of being deported are awaiting resettlement to the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, and Canada,” HRW statement reads.
“Broad calls by Pakistani officials for mass deportation have instigated increased police abuse against Afghans, including harassment, assault, and arbitrary detention. While not explicitly stated, Afghans slated for deportation are unlikely to be given the opportunity to challenge the action.”
After the Taliban regained power in 2021, Pakistani officials say between 600,000 to 800,000 Afghans migrated to Pakistan. The Pakistani government claims nearly 1.7 million of those Afghans are undocumented.
The deportation order came during a dramatic surge in armed attacks in Pakistan, which the government blames on Afghanistan-based groups and nationals, allegations refuted by the Afghan Taliban.
On October 27, the UNHCR issued a statement raising concerns about the deportation plan and calling for the protection of Afghan refugees in Pakistan.
As of October 15, about 60,000 had left Pakistan since the announcement. About 87 percent of them, according to UNHCR and the International Organization for Migration, cited fear of arrest in Pakistan as their reason for going back.
