Amnesty International has once again asked the government of Pakistan to halt forced deportations of Afghan refugees and not to ignore demands of the international community.
In a fresh report on Thursday, the watchdog said the Pakistan government, which planned to launch the second phase of repatriating Afghan refugees, should positively respond to global calls.
“The decision endangers the lives of over 800,000 Afghan refugees across Pakistan and threatens to unleash another wave of harassment and detentions after the holy month of Ramadan,” the report warned.
James Jennion, AI campaigner for refugee and migrant rights, said: “Pakistan’s Illegal Foreigners’ Repatriation Plan is in violation of refugee and international human rights law, and puts the lives of all Afghan refugees at risk.”
He asked the newly elected government of Pakistan to immediately reverse the decision on deporting Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) holders and not to disregard international demands.
After the regime change in August 2021, nearly 800,000 Afghans, some with valid travel documents, had streamed into the neighbouring country.
In the first round of repatriation of “undocumented aliens” in November last year, Pakistan is believed to have expelled more than half a million Afghans.
Views: 15
