Pakistan To Begin Second Wave of Afghan Migrant Deportations
Pakistan is allegedly prepared to begin the second round of mass deportations of undocumented Afghan migrants from its borders as soon as Sunday, according to international rights groups and local media sources.
The government implemented the first phase of its deportation plan in November of last year, expelling over 541,000 people, citing worsening domestic security and economic concerns since the Taliban’s 2021 takeover of Afghanistan.
Islamabad has consistently blamed Afghanistan-based or affiliated groups for the recent surge in violent attacks within its borders, a claim that the Taliban-run government in Kabul denies.
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The rugged terrain and decentralized nature of the Afghan-Pakistan border have allowed it to become well-known as a hotbed for terrorism.
This phase of the plan could result in the deportation of about 800,000 Afghan nationals.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) representative in Islamabad has pushed against Pakistan’s plan, noting that many of the migrants in question are more likely asylum seekers fleeing Taliban rule.
1.73 million out of 4.4 million Afghan refugees are undocumented, according to Pakistani government figures.
Families living in a refugee camp in Peshawar told international media they have been subject to police raids in the middle of the night, resulting in property destruction, and are pleading for more time to leave safely and with dignity.
