Malala urges Pakistan to reconsider Afghan refugee expulsions

The Nobel Peace Prize laureate from Pakistan has urged her government to reconsider its “hasty” policy of expelling Afghan immigrants. Malala Yousafzai stated, “Afghan immigrants who have fled Taliban persecution deserve support, respect, and security, not further obstacles and harm.”

The Pakistani government has given all “illegal” immigrants a deadline until November 1st to leave the country, with the threat of expulsion if they don’t comply. According to Pakistani authorities, approximately 1.7 million Afghan nationals reside in Pakistan without proper documentation.

This decision has faced widespread criticism both within Pakistan and in Afghanistan, and human rights organizations have expressed concerns about the Pakistani government’s move.

Despite the criticism, recently, Sarfaraz Bugti, the Interior Minister of Pakistan, declared that their decision regarding the expulsion of “illegal” immigrants remains firm, with no plans to extend the expulsion deadline.

Furthermore, in recent months, the Pakistani government has intensified the detention and expulsion of Afghan immigrants.

As the deadline for repatriating Afghan migrants from Pakistan nears, the Afghan Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation announced that around 8,000 migrants have returned to Afghanistan this week. According to a Saturday press release, approximately 7,910 Afghan migrants crossed the Spin Boldak border from Pakistan to enter their home country.

Additionally, on Friday, the Punjab Information Minister reported that around 99,000 Afghan migrants have been held in detention. Among them, 33,000 don’t have proper residence permits and will be sent back.

The Pakistani government has detained and expelled over 60,000 Afghan migrants so far. According to the latest United Nations data, approximately 1.3 million Afghan migrants are registered in Pakistan, with an additional 880,000 individuals having legal status to stay in the country.

The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights has called on the Pakistani government to “halt the forced deportation of Afghan citizens to prevent a humanitarian rights crisis.” Previously, the spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees in Pakistan advised registered refugees to seek assistance from the organization’s legal aid if they faced police harassment.

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