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KABUL – The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has called upon the Pakistani government to suspend the forcible returns of Afghan nationals as the November 1 deadline approaches. It said it is concerned about the potential for a human rights catastrophe and is urging Pakistan to ensure that any future deportations are conducted in a safe, dignified, and voluntary manner, in accordance with international law.
The UN body spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani issued a statement, emphasizing the need for protection and respect for the rights of Afghan nationals facing deportation. She warned that many individuals could face grave human rights violations, including arbitrary arrest, detention, torture, and inhumane treatment upon their return to Afghanistan.
The OHCHR is deeply alarmed by Pakistan’s announcement of plans to deport “undocumented” foreign nationals who remain in the country after November 1. This measure is expected to disproportionately affect over 1.4 million undocumented Afghans living in Pakistan.
Among those at particular risk are civil society activists, journalists, human rights defenders, former government officials, security force members, and women and girls as a whole. Afghanistan’s current policies restrict women and girls from accessing secondary and tertiary education and working in many sectors.
Both the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) have reported a significant increase in deportations to Afghanistan since the October 3 deadline announcement. According to a recent flash report by UNHCR and IOM, nearly 60,000 Afghans left Pakistan in the month leading up to October 15, with 78% of them citing the fear of arrest as their primary reason for leaving.
The OHCHR spokesperson stressed that deportations, especially mass deportations without individualized assessments of personal circumstances, would violate international human rights law, including the Convention Against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, to which Pakistan is a signatory, as well as international refugee law.
As winter approaches, mass deportations could exacerbate the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan. The country is already grappling with the aftermath of a series of earthquakes in Herat province that left over 1,400 people dead and 1,800 injured, according to official figures. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reports that nearly 30 million people in Afghanistan are in need of relief assistance out of a population of 43 million, and 3.3 million are internally displaced.
The OHCHR reminded the de facto authorities in Afghanistan of their international human rights obligations and their duty to protect, promote, and fulfill human rights.
