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Kabul: The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in a statement called on the Pakistani government to suspend forcible return of Afghan nationals before it is too late to avoid human rights catastrophe. “As the 1 November deadline approaches, we urge the Pakistan authorities to suspend forcible returns of Afghan nationals before it is too late to avoid a human rights catastrophe,” said UN Human Rights Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani “We believe many of those facing deportation will be at grave risk of human rights violations if returned to Afghanistan, including arbitrary arrest and detention, torture, cruel and other inhuman treatment, spokesperson said.
She added, “We are extremely alarmed by Pakistan’s announcement that it plans to deport ‘undocumented’ foreign nationals remaining in the country after Nov 1, a measure that will disproportionately impact more than 1.4 million undocumented Afghans who remain in Pakistan.” According to the statement, there are more than two million undocumented Afghans living in Pakistan, with at least 600,000 of them leaving Afghanistan after the takeover of the country by the Taliban in August 2021.
UN Human Rights Spokesman said: “As winter approaches, any mass deportations are bound to deepen the dire humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, which continues to grapple with the devastating impact of the series of earthquakes that struck Herat province this month.”
Meanwhile Local officials in Nangarhar said that they are providing facilities for refugees returning from Pakistan.
According to the officials, a camp is being built in Lalpur district of Nangarhar province, and returnees will be taken care of in the camp.
The majority of Afghans who voluntarily return or get deported from Pakistan use the Torkham crossing.
Nangarhar Department of Public Health said their health teams provide health services to the returnees round the clock.
“During the day, all health teams, including women’s health workers, are present in Torkham, and during the night, four health teams provide services to the people,” said Abdulla Azizi, deputy director of Nangarhar public health.
Officials in the provincial Department of Refugees and Repatriation said that up to 4,000 refugees return from Pakistan every day.
“They forced us out, and on the way the Pakistani police took money from us up to 5,000 from each vehicle leaving, and there is a lot of oppression going on against Afghans,” said Gul Ahmad, a returnee from Pakistan.
“One of my sons is still in prison in Pakistan. I was also arrested and 86,000 Pakistani rupees were taken from me. Our request from the government is that it should support Afghans who return from Pakistan because they are very poor,” said Silabzai, a returnee from Pakistan.
In the meantime, the Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation said that a temporary camp will be built in the Spin Boldak district of Kandahar province for Afghan refugees who are deported from Pakistan.
Pakistan has set November 1 as deadline for illegal migrants to leave the country.
