Two UN agencies have expressed their concerns at Pakistan’s new plan to relocate Afghan nationals from Islamabad and Rawalpindi.
A flurry of meetings, chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, recently finalised a plan to drive Afghan nationals from Islamabad and Rawalpindi or face deportation.
Alarmed by the development, UNHCR and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) sought clarity from the government over modalities and timeframe for the
In a joint statement on Wednesday, the UN bodies said the uncertain timeframe to plan for a dignified move was compounding a stressful situation.
If implemented, the plan would have an immediate impact on livelihoods and the education of refugee children, the statement said.
UNHCR and IOM acknowledged that countries might choose to limit the freedom of movement for foreigners, including refugees.
However, they jointly urged the government of Pakistan to implement any relocation measures with due consideration for human rights standards, including due process and the legal status of Proof of Registration (POR) and Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) holders.
UNHCR Representative Philippa Candler said: “Pakistan has a proud tradition of hosting refugees, saving millions of lives. This generosity is greatly appreciated.”
She added: “Forced return to Afghanistan could place some people at increased risk. We urge Pakistan to continue to provide safety to Afghans at risk, irrespective of their documentation status.”
The statement noted the overwhelming majority of Afghan nationals in Pakistan were law-abiding individuals, whose situation needed to be seen through a humanitarian lens.
IOM Chief of Mission Mio Sato said they were committed to working with the government and UNHCR to develop a mechanism to “register, manage and screen Afghan nationals”.
It said since the start of the year, an uptick in arrests of Afghan nationals in the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) and Rawalpindi caused “significant distress”. It cited reports that Afghan nationals of various documentation statuses were being rounded up.
“More than 800 Afghan nationals, among them women and children, have been deported so far this year from Islamabad and Rawalpindi alone,” it said.
The UN agencies said the latest relocation directive had increased fears of imminent deportation among Afghans in the capital region.
The statement said that a UNHCR-issued non-return advisory has been in place since 2021, calling for a suspension of forced returns of Afghan nationals from any country regardless of their status.
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